A quick quiz:
QUESTION: St. Valentine was____________
a) a priest in the Roman Empire who helped persecuted Christians
during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later
beheaded on Feb. 14.
during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later
beheaded on Feb. 14.
b) a Catholic bishop of Terni who was beheaded, also during the
reign of Claudius II.
reign of Claudius II.
c) someone who secretly married couples when marriage was
forbidden, or suffered in Africa, or wrote letters to his jailer's
daughter, and was probably beheaded.
forbidden, or suffered in Africa, or wrote letters to his jailer's
daughter, and was probably beheaded.
d) all, some, or possibly none of the above.
If you guessed d), give yourself a box of chocolates. Although the
mid-February holiday celebrating love and lovers remains wildly
popular, the confusion over its origins led the Catholic Church, in
1969, to drop St. Valentine's Day from the Roman calendar of
official, worldwide Catholic feasts. (Those highly sought-after days are reserved for saints with more clear historical record. After all, the saints are real individuals for us to imitate.) Some parishes, however, observe the feast of St. Valentine.
The roots of St. Valentine's Day lie in the ancient Roman festival of
Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb. 15. For 800 years the
Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On
Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman
in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion
for the year.
Pope Gelasius was understandably, less than thrilled with this
custom. So he changed the lottery to have both young men and
women draw the names of saints whom they would then emulate
for the year (a change that no doubt disappointed a few young
men). Instead of Lupercus, the patron of the feast became
Valentine. For Roman men, the day continued to be an occasion to
seek the affections of women, and it became a tradition to give out handwritten messages of admiration that included Valentine's
name.
There was also a conventional belief in Europe during the Middle
Ages that birds chose their partners in the middle of February.
Thus the day was dedicated to love, and people observed it by
writing love letters and sending small gifts to their beloved. Legend has it that Charles, duke of Orleans, sent the first real Valentine card to his wife in 1415, when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. (He, however, was not beheaded, and died a half-century later of old age.)
mid-February holiday celebrating love and lovers remains wildly
popular, the confusion over its origins led the Catholic Church, in
1969, to drop St. Valentine's Day from the Roman calendar of
official, worldwide Catholic feasts. (Those highly sought-after days are reserved for saints with more clear historical record. After all, the saints are real individuals for us to imitate.) Some parishes, however, observe the feast of St. Valentine.
The roots of St. Valentine's Day lie in the ancient Roman festival of
Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb. 15. For 800 years the
Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On
Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman
in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion
for the year.
Pope Gelasius was understandably, less than thrilled with this
custom. So he changed the lottery to have both young men and
women draw the names of saints whom they would then emulate
for the year (a change that no doubt disappointed a few young
men). Instead of Lupercus, the patron of the feast became
Valentine. For Roman men, the day continued to be an occasion to
seek the affections of women, and it became a tradition to give out handwritten messages of admiration that included Valentine's
name.
There was also a conventional belief in Europe during the Middle
Ages that birds chose their partners in the middle of February.
Thus the day was dedicated to love, and people observed it by
writing love letters and sending small gifts to their beloved. Legend has it that Charles, duke of Orleans, sent the first real Valentine card to his wife in 1415, when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. (He, however, was not beheaded, and died a half-century later of old age.)
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY...
Love from Mr-Jaytee.
Love from Mr-Jaytee.
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