InsaneJournal

Prompt 30 - St Valentine
Prompt 30

St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

Does learning this change your thoughts about Valentine's Day?

There are many misconceptions about Valentine's day and many people don't realise that St Valentine was more than simply the patron saint of love. Although he is patron saint of many of the things we think about on valentine's day – our lover, marriage, greeting cards, he is the patron saint of much more than that.

I can't say I've really participated in Valentine's day. My first experiences of it were confused and different than the norm. One year I saw a man chase his wife covered with seal grease through the village. In the snow. I;m not actually sure that was anything to do with Valentine's day itself or simply a strange local custom.

I read about the historical figure of St Valentine in one of the books in my Grandmother's library on famous saints. Of course what many people don't realise is in fact here was more, is more than one Saint Valentine. We celebrate only one, that is the the who was buried on the Faminian way on February 14th, 269, but we know very little about his actual life.

I suppose it follows then that I know little about some of the traditions of Valentine's day. I was...embarrassed to have received so many cards form friends and family and young ladies wanting my romantic attention. Of course only one card counted, the card Ray gave me. Thanks to him I at least know the significance of St Valentine being portrayed with a rose.