The day of Saint Valentine It is an anniversary celebrated every year the February 14th To celebrate love and union between couples and lovers. Although it is not a holiday in any country, it is considered an official party in the Anglican communion and in the Lutheran Church. The celebration would take its name from Valentine’s Day, Bishop of Ternihistorical figure that would be linked to the spread of love and benevolence.
Who was Valentine’s Day and because it is the saint of lovers: legends
Valentino di Terni He was bishop of the Umbrian city, lived in the third century and martyred around 347 AD. C. seems to have been invited to Rome for heal The sick son of a pagan philosopher named Crash. After requiring the conversion of the father in exchange for healing the miracle took place, but this time too his actions caused the Roman authorities who so they beheaded. Another interpretation of the sources speaks of his death by bringing it back to the habit of the bishop of celebrate weddings Between Christians and pagans, a practice that marked the Imperial Edits. In this case, his figure and his death could be closer to the Saint Valentine that we all associate with the idea of romantic love. The Terni proclaimed him Patron saint Of the city in 1644. It seems that recent historiographic studies have confirmed the existence of Valentino, bishop of Terni, even if the hypothesis that the saint was actually another Valentino, Roman priest, cannot be excluded.
The legends who explain why the saint will be entrusted with lovers are much more poetic than the hagiographic information we know. It is said that Valentino loved donating rose to young people, favoring lovers, and then blessing the unions every fourteen of the month. Another compelling story tells that he united a young Christian in marriage, Serapiaand the Roman legionary Sabinedespite the opposition of her family, contrary to their union because of Sabino’s pagan faith. The obstacle was overcome when, for love, the legionary decided to convert to Christianity, thus allowing to celebrate the wedding. However, during the ceremony, the girl – Patient of Tisi – enhanced her last breath, and Valentino, responding to Sabino’s prayer who did not agree to live without her, blessing the two Christian spouses, allowed them to fall asleep together in a eternal sleep. It is said that precisely for this gesture, in open disobedience to the restrictions of the time, Emperor Claudio II condemned him to death, accusing him of rebellion.
Because on February 14 the party of lovers is celebrated
Valentino was executed on February 14, 270 ADand therefore the date of February 14 was established to celebrate that saint. Given the association of this saint to love, he actually became the protector and patron of lovers.
What is certain is that the Valentine’s Day is an anniversary very ancient: it is thought that the first celebration dates back to 496 AD, when Pope Gelasio decided to replace the Lupercaliaan ancient pagan celebration of fertility dedicated to the god Lupetcowith a Christian anniversary inspired by love. Since then, the February 14th He was associated with Valentine’s Day and love feeling.
Valentine’s Day 2025: the day of lovers today
Today, the figure of Valentine’s Day is celebrated all over the world: the city of Ternihis hometown, is a pilgrimage destination for couples who want to exchange promises of love or renew the marriage votes in his basilica. The iconography often represents him as a bishop or priest, with the palm of the martyrdom or the dark of the torture. Whether or not we believe in legends, one thing is certain: Valentine’s Day has become the Universal symbol of lovewhether it is linked to Christianity or lively lived.
