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As we approach St. Valentine’s Day, a day celebrated across the world for love and affection, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the deeper meaning of love as envisioned by our Catholic Faith. For those called to the vocation of marriage, the path to this sacrament is not just a pursuit of companionship, but a journey toward sanctity. The popular customs connected with Saint Valentine’s Day’s probably originated in medieval Europe. At that time, when “courtly love” was in flower, there was a common belief in England and France that on February 14th, precisely half way through the second month of the year, the birds began to pair. Reclaiming the Saint. Putting the Saint back into St Valentine’s Day is a slow project. Not only has St Val’s day been captured by commercial interests (think roses, chocolates, jewellery, restaurants, movies and endless bric-a-brac), it’s also been hijacked for relationships that don’t even have romance as a feature. I have always had a unique connection to Valentine’s Day—it’s my birthday! I’m also a twin, so growing up, that meant the focus was on celebrating the two of us rather than the flowers, chocolates, and heart-shaped cards that most people associate with Valentine’s Day. To be honest, I never cared much about the other [] What is St. Valentine's story? There are multiple accounts of St. Valentine, but most agree that he was a Christian priest in Rome during the 3rd century. At that time, Emperor Claudius II had banned marriages for young men, believing that single soldiers fought better. Some legends claim that Valentine, knowing that marriage was a God-ordained With St. Valentine’s Day approaching, let us take the first step today to make the holiday about sacrificial love instead of commercial love. Two take aways can be found from two saints, Saints Thomas Aquinas and Paul. First, St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us, “Love is the decision to always want the best for the other and to help attain it.” Celebrating Valentine’s Day is for the birds. Or maybe, it would be better to say that celebrating Valentine’s Day is from the birds.. At least one explanation of why the Feast of St. Valentine is considered a day for love and romance has to do with what the Catholic Encyclopedia called “a conventional belief generally received in England and France during the Middle Ages, that on Feb The patron saint of love and happy marriages, among other things, Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century Roman saint. His feast day, of course, is Feb. 14 – Valentine’s Day. But who was he? First, let’s just say his feast day doesn’t refer to consuming chocolate or fancy dinners out, but rather a tradition of courtly love. And the identity 2. Learn more about the three Saint Valentines. Each of whom was a Roman martyr during the era of the early Church. Here are some good resources: “History of St. Valentine” by Fr. William Saunders at the Catholic Education Resource Center “St. Valentine” from Catholic Encyclopedia “St. Valentine” from Catholic Online . 3. Pray for Every February 14, Valentine's Day, we can remember Saint Valentine, a brave martyr who exemplifies what is meant by one of the greatest commandments, "Love one another." He can help us remember that true love is more than flowers, hearts, and chocolates. True love requires sacrifice. Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated every February 14; this year Valentine's Day falls on a Friday. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver The history surrounding our celebration of St Valentine's Day is quite unclear. There were a few notable Valentines in 3rd and 4th century. One of whom secretly performed marriage ceremonies for Roman soldiers, when marriage was supposedly banned for them. To this day, in early 2024, no one has ever been arrested for the murders that occurred during the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Several factors played into the lack of arrests. The biggest issue was that the man who is assumed to have ordered the massacre, Al Capone, was vacationing in Florida at the time it occurred. Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the fifth century by combining St. Valentine's Day with Lupercalia to expel the Re: everything being pagan, I think it is a coalition of old anti-Catholic stuff from religious groups that don’t like any Christian holy days or saints, more stuff from Muslims that really hate St. Valentine’s, stuff thought up by the neopagans of the old days of the Internet, and a lot of help from the militant atheists and people who dislike heterosexual fun. Day of Purity Promoting Purity in Mind and Actions The Fourth Annual "Day of Purity" will be observed on February 14, 2007 The Day of Purity is a day when youth can make a public demonstration of their commitment to remain sexually pure, in mind and actions. The fortieth day after January 6 - Nimrod’s original birth date - takes us to February 15 th, the celebration of which began on the evening of February 14 th, the Lupercalia or St. Valentine’s Day! On this day in February, Semiramis, the mother of Nimrod, was said to have been purified and to have appeared for the first time in public with Customs of St Valentine’s Day. Practices and customs have changed throughout the years; during Christian times, the priests put saints’ and martyrs’ names into boxes to be drawn out. THE COLDEST CASE: Since February 14, 1929, when seven men were gunned down inside a Clark Street garage, the mastermind behind the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre has remained a mystery, though
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