Well, it could be merely a coincidence, but the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose has chosen Feb. 15 for its annual Wedding Anniversary Celebration. San Jose’s St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica (880 S. Market St.) will host a special Mass for all couples observing their fifth (or less), 25th, 40th and 50th (or more) years of marriage. Couples will renew wedding vows, receive a blessing from Bishop Patrick McGrath, get a certificate marking the occasion and enjoy a reception afterward. All of this occurs on the day after Valentine’s Day.
It is likely that our modern Valentine’s Day is rooted in paganism. The ancient Romans held an annual three-day ritual meant to ward off evil spirits and increase fertility. This Feast of the Lupercalia (or Febratio) occurred on Feb. 15. Men would go to a grotto dedicated to Lupercal, the wolf god, and sacrifice goats. Then they would put on these skins and run through the city striking women they encountered with a small whip made from goat hide; this was supposed to insure them fertility during the coming year.
As Christianity became more widely practiced, church authorities often sought to adapt pagan holidays and “baptize” them or give them a Christian significance. History has seen many examples of this process, notably Christmas and Halloween.
In the fifth century, Pope Gelasius officially banned the observance of the Lupercalia and established a new Christian holiday Feb. 14, St. Valentine’s Day, dedicated to the patron saint of engaged couples, lovers and those wishing to marry.
It is not quite certain who St. Valentine was; there are three candidates for this honor:
• A Christian priest named Valentinus was supposedly arrested for performing marriages that allowed the grooms to avoid military service. Legend says that before his execution in 269 C.E., young lovers visited his jail cell and left notes praising love, the first “valentine cards.”
• Another Valentinus was a priest jailed for helping Christians during the reign of Pope Julius I. This legend says he fell in love with his jailer’s daughter and sent her notes signed “from your Valentine.” He was beheaded, and his relics are housed in Rome’s Church of St. Praxcedes.
• A third Valentine was a bishop in Terni, Italy, who was martyred; his relics are in the Terni Basilica where a huge festival is held annually.
The connection between love and Valentine’s Day began in the Middle Ages when it was believed that Feb. 14 marked the beginning of birds’ mating season, making it a day favorable for romance.
The oldest known Valentine greeting is a poem written in 1415 by Duke Charles of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in England. Several years later, King Henry of France hired a writer to compose a Valentine to his beloved.
Valentine’s Day is popular in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the U.K., France and Australia. The Roman Catholic Church dropped this holy day from its liturgical calendar in 1969, and it has become increasingly commercialized.
Nearly a billion Valentine’s Day cards were sent in the United States last year (countless featuring Cupid, the winged Roman god of love), making it the second most popular occasion for sending cards (after Christmas). The day is also notable for the amount of money spent on candy, flowers and dining out.
Chuck Flagg is a retired teacher with a passion for religion. Reach him at [email protected].
