Saint Valentine, the man and the myth
The Catholic Church recognises at least three different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred, so we’re off to a promising start.
The most popular legend tells of Valentine as a priest in 3rd-century Rome. Emperor Claudius II supposedly believed that single men made better soldiers than married men and therefore outlawed marriage for men of fighting age. Valentine defied the emperor by secretly marrying young couples until he was discovered and sentenced to death.
Another version of the story has Valentine helping persecuted Christians escape from Roman prisons, which led to his arrest and execution. Tolerance was not exactly Rome’s strong suit at the time.
According to legend, on the eve of his execution, Valentine sent a note to his beloved, in some versions, the jailer’s daughter, signing it ‘From your Valentine’. Whether true or not, the phrase has stuck around ever since.
Unsurprisingly, Saint Valentine became the patron saint of engaged couples and happy marriages… as well as beekeepers, travellers, epilepsy, and the plague (Black Death). Apparently, saintly workloads were flexible back then.
…and his relics
The alleged skull of Saint Valentine is displayed in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. Most of the remaining relics are said to be housed in Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, where they were gifted in the 19th century by Pope Gregory XVI to an Irish Carmelite priest, along with an official letter of authentication, which is still preserved today.
The sealed inner casket containing the remains has never been opened. In Ireland, saints are generally expected to stay in one piece.
Additional relics attributed to Saint Valentine can reportedly be found in the Church of St Antón in Madrid, Prague, Chelmno (Poland), Lesbos (Greece), Savona (Italy), Gard (France), Balzan (Malta), and even Glasgow and Birmingham. Either Valentine travelled extensively, or relic accounting was fairly generous in medieval Europe.
The origins of Valentine’s Day
Given how little is known about Valentine’s actual life and death, historians believe that the celebration of Valentine’s Day in February is linked to the early Christian Church’s attempt to replace the pagan Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which took place around the same time.
During Lupercalia, Roman priests sacrificed goats and used strips of their hides to gently strike women and crops, believing this would promote fertility. The names of young women were placed in an urn and drawn at random by bachelors, pairing each with a bachelor for the duration of the festival, sometimes longer. Draw your own conclusions.
It wasn’t until the 5th century that 14 February was officially declared Saint Valentine’s Day. Much later, in medieval England and France, it was believed that birds began mating on this date, further cementing its romantic associations.
Valentine’s Day today
Originally, Valentine’s cards were handmade and discreetly delivered. With industrialisation and advances in printing, mass-produced cards became both affordable and widely available. The introduction of the Penny Black stamp in Britain made anonymous declarations of affection particularly popular in the famously restrained Victorian era.
From there, the tradition spread across the English-speaking world and, eventually, far beyond.
In much of Latin America, the day is known as Día de los Enamorados, or Lovers’ Day. Brazil, however, largely ignores it, as it often clashes with Carnaval. Priorities clearly established.
Valentine’s Day on the Costa Brava
In Spain, Valentine’s Day is generally marked with cards, flowers, chocolates or a meal out. Here on the Costa Brava, and especially in El Baix Empordà, there’s no shortage of charming restaurants to suit every budget and taste.
You won’t find many places offering special Valentine’s menus, but if you’d like help organising a romantic day out, callCarlos can point you in the right direction. Based in Calonge, they know the Baix Empordà inside out.
P.S.
Not all 14 February stories involve romance. The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre refers to the 1929 murder of seven members of Chicago’s North Side Gang during the Prohibition era, orchestrated by rivals linked to Al Capone. Proof, if ever needed, that banning alcohol rarely ends well.
P.P.S.
If your sweetheart happens to be Catalan, be warned: Valentine’s Day isn’t the main event. That honour belongs to Sant Jordi’s Day on 23 April, when lovers exchange red roses and books. Traditionally, men give roses and women give books. So once 14 February is over, you may want to start preparing for round two.