St. Valentine’s Day: A Gift for All . . . Except the Day’s Namesake

 By Lisa Malice, Ph.D.

Happy Valentine’s Day! As my gift to you, I offer a murky tale, one alleging crimes against the state, two murky suspects, summary judgment of guilt without a trial, and hasty and bloody execution. “What the heck?” you might exclaim. “Why would you post something so gruesome on this day of all days, which is devoted to love and brotherhood?

Because, my dear friends, this is the tale of the day’s namesake—St. Valentine.

The identity of the man who would be canonized as St. Valentine by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD and later celebrated as the patron saint of lovers (epileptics and beekeepers, too) is not just murky, but dark—blood red dark. The Catholic church canonized more than thirty historical and religious figures throughout its early history with the name Valentine, but only two are connected specifically to February 14, two men, who were martyred for evangelizing Christian beliefs, a crime against the Roman empire throughout the four centuries that followed Jesus’ birth. 

The first suspect claiming the honor as St. Valentine was a physician and Catholic bishop of Terni, who was put under house arrest in the palatial estate of Judge Asterius for spreading Jesus’ teachings. The two educated men found much to talk about, especially Valentine’s beliefs in the healing power of Christianity, so Asterius called for proof. As the legend goes, the judge said, “If your God is so powerful, heal my daughter of her blindness, and I will do whatever you ask.” Valentine complied, laid his hands on the young woman’s eyes, and prayed. Her sight instantly returned.

The judge, humbled at the miracle he had a just witnessed, stayed true to his word. At Valentine’s behest, Asterius freed his Christian slaves and those he’d jailed for evangelizing, destroyed every pagan (Roman) idol on his estate, fasted for three days, then underwent the sacrament of Christian baptism with forty-four members of his family and estate.

Once released Valentine continued to evangelize, leading again to his arrest at the hands of the Roman guard. This time, however, he was hauled into the court of emperor Claudius II and asked to renounce his Christian beliefs. Valentine not only refused, but he tried to convert Claudius. Enraged, the emperor sentenced Valentine to death. Later that night, under cover of darkness, Valentine was executed—taken beyond the gates of the city, beaten with clubs, then beheaded, and left by the side of the road (the famed Flaminian Way). The date of his bloody execution? February 14, of course.

There is not much of a story to tell about our second suspect, also a priest from Terni, except that he aggravated the efforts of Emperor Claudius II to rebuild his dwindling army by marrying young men and women in secret Christian ceremonies.

At the time, only single men were eligible to be conscripted into the military, as men with wives and families were deemed not strong enough in devotion, physical prowess, or mental capacity. Claudius had the last laugh, though. He had Valentine arrested for evangelism and executed for refusing to renounce his Chistian religion. The date Valentine was beaten and beheaded? February 14, 269 AD.

What does this have to do with Valentine’s Day as we know it now, a day filled with colorful hearts and expressions of love? Let’s get back to our first suspect and his story. Legend has it that before his execution, the condemned bishop wrote a loving letter to Judge Asterius’ daughter and signed it “from your Valentine.”  

Similarly, legend follows our second suspect. Purportedly, Valentine gave each man he married something to remind him of his vows and God’s love—a heart cut from a sheet of parchment paper.

Fact or fiction? Who knows? It is possible these two suspects are one in the same man, but even the Catholic Church wasn’t convinced enough to official retain February 14 as the feast day of St. Valentine in modern times.

There is more to the story of how St. Valentine came to be associated with romantic love, but it has little to do with the historical reason for his martyrdom. The famed 14^th century poet, Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as to celebrate passionate love in his 1375 poem, “Parliament of Foules,” writing, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day/Whan every foul commeth there to choose his mate.”

Lovers started exchanging valentines in the 1400s. By the 1600s, Valentine’s Day was readily recognized as the day to celebrate romantic love, so much so that Shakespeare referenced the day celebrating romantic love in three of his plays.

By 1848, the yearly exchange of valentine cards in America was made possible by Esther Howland, who mass-produced and sold handmade cards featuring silk, glitter, and lace.

I hope this little tale fascinated you as it did me. Have a wonderful celebration of love today with those who mean the world to you.