By Msgr. Jorge de los Santos
St. Valentine, the patron saint of love, was born in modern-day Italy around 175 AD. He was ordained a priest and later a bishop. Famous for his evangelization efforts, miracles and healings, he lived in Roma during the 3rd century under the emperor Claudius III, who prohibited the celebration of matrimony among young people because he believed that “single men without families were better soldiers, since they are not attached to anyone.”
St. Valentine did not comply with the decree of the emperor and challenged him by marrying young couples in secret. When the emperor found out, he sent for Valentine to be incarcerated. The bishop was tortured and then decapitated in 270 AD.
The popular belief is that this is a recent feast day, but it actually dates back to the third century. However, it gained great popularity after the 14th century, taking also the name of “the Day of Love” or “the Day of Love and Friendship” in other regions.
Of course, the feast has been manipulated by marketing. It has become custom that the couple in love, whether they are boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife or simply friends, should express their love with a date or a present — and the bigger and more expensive, the better.
But St. Valentine’s Day can be a beautiful feast for us Catholics, since it presents the opportunity to celebrate the truth about love. Jesus left us a new commandment: “That you love one another; even as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). This means that the point of reference that teaches us how to love is not how I love but how Jesus loves me. He even said it to his disciples as a requisite: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). The basis of our faith is in love, for “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8).
As human beings, we all desire to love and to be loved. From the baby who sleeps in his mother’s arms to the elderly man who impatiently awaits a visit from his children and family, we all have an innate necessity to know that we are important, valuable and loved by someone else. Our hearts long for love, whether we know it or not. God created us with a thirst and urge to be loved so that we could search for him, who is the only fount of love.
He is essential, for he constitutes the beginning, the middle and the end for which man was created. Love will be man’s activity for all eternity. Love is the only reason that justifies the existence of each and every one of us. The entire universe was created out of love. The human act by which a person chooses and does the good for another is the supreme act of liberty. And the greatest proof of love was given to us by Jesus Christ. He gave himself up entirely and poured out his blood for us.
This is what Bishop Valentine, as a saint of the Catholic Church, inspires us to live out today in our lives.
FAQs
Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love. Believers say God worked through his life to perform miracles and teach people how to recognize and experience true love. This famous saint, an Italian doctor who later became a priest, inspired the creation of the holiday of Valentine's Day.
Why is Saint Valentine the patron saint of love? ›
Valentine, it seems, was a martyr for upholding the importance of love and marriage. "He literally gave his life to achieve this purpose," McKay said. The bones of St. Valentine were sent to Ireland in 1836, a gift from Pope Gregory to a Carmelite priest in Dublin, McKay said.
Why is Valentine associated with love? ›
Claudius believed that Roman soldiers should be completely devoted to Rome and therefore passed a law preventing them from marrying. St Valentine began to marry these soldiers in secret Christian ceremonies and this was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love.
Why is Valentine's Day a symbol of love? ›
This Saint Valentine wore a ring with a Cupid on it—a symbol of love—that helped soldiers recognize him. And, in a precursor to greeting cards, he handed out paper hearts to remind Christians of their love for God. Because of this legend, Saint Valentine became known as the patron saint of love.
What is the love story of St. Valentine? ›
The emperor Aurelius had imprisoned Valentine in 272 AD for continuing to marry Christian soldiers, despite royal decree (Aurelius needed them to fight his wars). In prison, the bishop cured his jailer's daughter of blindness and the pair fell head over heels in love (quite literally 'love at first sight'.)
What is the story behind St. Valentine's? ›
By some accounts, St. Valentine was a Roman priest and physician who was martyred during the persecution of Christians by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus about 270. He was buried on the Via Flaminia, and Pope Julius I reportedly built a basilica over his grave.
What saint is known for love? ›
Because of his association with the deep friendship between him and Jesus, St. John is often recognized as the Patron Saint of love, loyalty and friendship. St. Valentine is believed to have been a Christian martyr who lived during the Roman Empire.
What does Valentine have to do with love? ›
Saint Valentine wrote a letter to Julia and signed it “Your Valentine” as a sign of his love for her. Saint Valentine, the patron saint of love, is also credited with being the patron saint of epilepsy and beekeepers. Since the high middle ages, his Saints' Day has been commemorated with a tradition of courtly love.
What is the main purpose of Valentine? ›
Valentine's Day is a holiday when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. It is also called St. Valentine's Day. The holiday has expanded to express affection between relatives and friends.
What is the real meaning of Valentine? ›
Valentines and Valentine's Day get their name from feast day of Saint Valentine, but there are at least two saints named Valentine, one of whom became a martyr around the year 270 CE. The name Valentine comes from a Latin word meaning “strength.”
While the date is meant to honor Saint Valentine's death and burial, which supposedly occurred in mid-February around 270 AD, some historians believe the date could reflect the Catholic Church's attempt to replace the ancient Pagan celebration of Lupercalia — a fertility festival for the pagan agricultural god Faunus — ...
Is Valentine's Day based on love Actually? ›
Many British bloggers and online critics described Valentine's Day as "an American copycat version of Love Actually", focusing on how Valentine's Day, like Love Actually, has an all-star cast whose characters' storylines intertwine with one another.
Why is the heart associated with love? ›
Love and other emotions are actually regulated in the brain, not the heart. Specifically, a part of the brain called the amygdala. People might partly associate the heart with strong emotions like love because when we get excited to see someone, our heart sometimes beats faster, and we notice our heartbeat.
Did St. Valentine have anything to do with love? ›
St. Valentine was no lover or patron of love. Valentine's Day, in fact, originated as a liturgical feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr, or perhaps two.
What is the logic behind Valentine's Day? ›
Held in mid-February, the festival celebrated the coming of spring with raucous celebrations and fertility rites. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius forbade the celebration of Lupercalia, and some suggest that he replaced it with a day to celebrate the martyred St. Valentine.
What is the spiritual meaning of Valentine's Day? ›
While the holiday has undergone secularization over time, its origins in Christian martyrdom and acts of love align with broader spiritual themes of compassion, selflessness, and devotion. For some, Valentine's Day serves as a reminder of the importance of love in both human relationships and spiritual practice.
What does the Bible say about love on Valentine's Day? ›
Top Valentine's Day Bible Verses
1 Corinthians 13:4-8: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
What is the idea of St. Valentine as a supporter of love? ›
Historical accounts suggest that St. Valentine was a supporter of love, with evidence from funerary inscriptions, stories of extraordinary funeral customs, and the devotions in Christianity that elevated romantic relationships and love.
How did Cupid become a common symbol of Valentine's Day? ›
Cupid was a fanciful way of representing longing. When 19th century Valentine's Day card makers were looking for ideas to decorate their cards, Renaissance Cupids were an obvious choice. Not only was he a well-known symbol of love, his appearance as a naked flying baby was both cute and inoffensive.
Who is the patron saint of the Impossible love? ›
Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) is a patron saint of the impossible, difficult, and hopeless causes, distinctly in the realm of marriage, abuse, fertility, parenthood, and disease. Like St. Jude, many turn to St. Rita for her intercession in times of desperation, heartbreak, and disease.
