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St. Valentine, Cupid and Jesus Christ
St. Valentine, Cupid and
Jesus Christ
Its customs appear harmless, but is Valentine's Day really a Christian holiday? What are its origins? Could this seemingly innocent celebration promote unbiblical teachings?
by Gary Petty
Every year in mid-February millions of people
express romantic desire for each other by exchanging heart-shaped boxes of chocolate,
flowers and "valentines." Children express hidden infatuations by sending
cards as "secret admirers." Retailers stock shelves with merchandise covered
in stylized hearts and Cupids preparing for the popular observance of St. Valentine's
Day, Feb. 14.
Where and how did these curious customs originate?
Valentine's Day acquired its name from a Catholic saint, although exactly who he
was is a matter of debate. The two most famous Valentines were a Roman priest and
a bishop, both of whom suffered martyrdom in the last half of the third century.
Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays records the story this
way: "Everyone knows that St. Valentine's Day is that day of the year when friends
and lovers express affection for one another, through cards, candy and flowers, whatever
means the imagination can find. But no one is quite certain who this St. Valentine
was--or, more appropriately, who these Valentines were. The early lists of church
martyrs reveal at least three Valentines, and one source boosted this number to an
unwieldy eight, each of whom had his feast day on February 14.
"The various Valentines eventually evolved into one. Lover's quarrels come under
his jurisdiction and, naturally, he is the patron saint of engaged couples and of
anyone wishing to marry" (Robert J. Myers and the editors of Hallmark Cards,
1972, pp. 48-49).
During the Middle Ages, Valentine's Day grew increasingly popular in Europe.
Feb. 14 was significant not only for its religious meaning but because it was widely
believed that birds begin to mate on this date. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) mentions
the mating of birds on Valentine's Day in his poem "Parliament of Foules."
"English literature, following Chaucer, contains frequent references to February
14 as sacred to lovers. Shakespeare, Drayton, and Gay are among those who mention
it in this connection, and the diarist Samuel Pepys several times discusses the day
and its related customs. The Paston Letters, covering the period from 1422
to 1509, contain a letter by Dame Elizabeth Brews to John Paston, with whom she hoped
to arrange a match for her daughter, which runs this way:
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