[Ansteorra] St Valentine day lovers or love

[John Atkinson]

On Wed, Feb 13, 2008 at 10:38 PM, willowdewisp at juno.com
<willowdewisp at juno.com> wrote:

> I was wondering what legends of St Valentine day  each one of you hold by.
>  I was told the story by my priest when I was a little girl that St. Valentine was a  martyr  that wrote notes of christian love on leaves and passed them through his cell window. I was told it really was a day to celebrate our love for our fellow man.
>  In keeping with that spirit I wish you all a wonderful day surrounded by family and Friends.
>  willow de wisp

Until 1969, there were no less than 11 Ss. Valentine commemorated by
the Catholic Church.

Valentine is, of course, the Anglicization of Valentinus, a relatively
common Latin name derived from Valens, or 'worthy'.

The Valentine historically commemorated on 14 Feb was removed from the
calendar in 1969 because he appears to be either mythical, or obscure
to the point that we don't even know which Valentine it was supposed
to be. He was added in 496 as being among "those names are justly
reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."  He was
associated with a grave on the Via Flaminia, variously described as a
"priest of Rome" or the bishop of Interamna.  He remains in the Roman
Martyrology, one of seven Valentines (the latest dating from 1936).

The "Golden Legend" invents a brief life and martyrdom for this
Valentine, having him defy the "Emperor Claudius" and be beheaded for
his troubles.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/golden169.htm

In a poem of 1382, Geoffrey Chaucer writes

                For this was on seynt Volantynys day
                Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [choose] his make [mate].

It was written to commemorate the anniversary of the engagement of the
King of England, which treaty was signed on May 2nd, the feast day for
St. Valentine of Genoa, an early bishop who died around AD 307.

Further elaboration of the legends are purely fictional, and have more
to do with late medieval troubadors and modern greeting-card makers
than with historical fact or religious narratives.

Ioannes Dalassenos
mka John M. Atkinson
-- 
"Thousands of Sarmatians, Thousands of Franks, we've slain them again
and again. We're looking for thousands of Persians."
--Vita Aureliani