In the Roman Catholic tradition St. Valentine is the
Patron Saint of betrothed couples, happy marriages, love, lovers, bee keepers,
fainting, epilepsy, plague, travelers, and young people. His feast day is today.
As a consequence of so little being known
about the man the Church removed St. Valentine from the General Roman Calendar
in 1969. Nevertheless, he remains
recognized as a saint.
One of many
stories is that Valentine was imprisoned for committing the most heinous of
crimes - marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians being persecuted by Emperor
Claudius of Rome. Angered to the point
of rage Claudius commanded Valentine to renounce his faith or be beaten with
clubs and beheaded. Refusing the emperor
- Valentine was executed outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269.
In case you’re wondering if Valentine was a real
person - archaeological excavations have unearthed
a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to him. In 496 Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as
a celebration honoring his martyrdom.
Today his relics can be found throughout the world – including his skull
at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Rome.
click on the relic to enlarge
Happy
Valentine’s Day.
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