Local History with Monica McGill: St Valentine

WITH apologies to all, there are very few facts about St Valentine and many legends swirling around him.

That’s not really surprising.

Many verifiable records were destroyed or lost during turbulent historical events occurring in the years between his time and ours.

Allowing for lost records, it seems fairly reliable that St Valentine was a priest or a bishop, living in Rome or visiting there, before his martyrdom on 14th February, 269AD.

He ministered to the needs of his fellow Christians who were undergoing a persecution ordered by the Emperor, Claudius II.

The persecution included a ban on spreading the Gospel and people marrying in the Christian rite.

A gold medallion depicting Claudius II, Emperor of Rome, minted 268AD

Apparently, this didn’t stop Valentine from fulfilling his religious duties.

He also saved Christian men from being enlisted in the Roman armies which were sorely needing new recruits at the time.

His activities brought him into direct confrontation with Roman imperial authorities.

Valentine was imprisoned and eventually martyred by being severely beaten and then beheaded, as the Emperor ordered.

He was buried on the outskirts of Rome and re-interred much later in a church there.

In the 19th century, some of his relics were gifted to Dublin, where they remain.

As for Claudius II, he was Emperor for only two years – from 268 to 270AD. Commanding Rome’s legions, he defeated the Goths (a Germanic tribe) who had invaded as far as the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea.

He repelled other invasions of the Empire also.

Claudius II died in 270AD (a year after St Valentine’s martyrdom) reputedly from “pestilence”, possibly a plague infecting the Empire’s provinces at the time.

Modern historians acknowledge that Imperial biographers of the day tended towards exaggeration and flattery, either because of their political allegiances or fear.

While the dates of Emperors’ births, military service and deaths can usually be verified, other details may be less reliable.

Amongst other feats, biographers of Claudius recount his military fearlessness, his renowned physical strength and the occasion when he knocked out a horse’s teeth with a single punch.

Not a man to be confronted, apparently.

St Valentine and Dublin In the 1800s, Fr John Spratt was an Irish Carmelite.

He was a celebrated preacher and was invited to present a sermon of his in Rome.

Because Fr Spratt’s sermon was so outstanding, he was offered some of St Valentine’s relics so he could bring them permanently to Dublin.

To great rejoicing, the relics were brought to Whitefriar Street church in the city, where a special altar enshrines them.

They are said to include St Valentine’s heart.

Throughout the year, thousands of people from Ireland and abroad visit this shrine to honour the saint and invoke his assistance regarding romantic and relationship matters.

Legends One of the legends about St Valentine suggests he was a friendly person, an excellent conversationalist and very persuasive.

While in prison in Rome, Valentine and his jailer became friends.

The jailer had a daughter who was blind.

Knowing Valentine’s deep Christian faith, the jailer asked (or challenged) him to cure his daughter.

Having prayed fervently, Valentine cured the daughter by the power of God and her sight was granted to her.

Following this, Valentine and the jailer’s daughter understandably also became friends.

Then came the day when the Emperor called for Valentine to be brought to him for interrogation.

Unexpectedly, Claudius was impressed with Valentine’s demeanour, his behaviour and interesting conversation.

The Emperor often invited Valentine to converse with him.

For a time it seemed that Valentine’s further imprisonment might be cancelled and this personable prisoner released without more punishment.

Unfortunately, this was not to be.

Eventually, Valentine suggested to the Emperor that he might consider converting to Christianity himself.

This resulted in the Emperor ordering Valentine to be beaten until he forsook his faith.

It didn’t work.

Then the Emperor threatened the saint with death by beheading if he would not reject Christianity.

That didn’t work either.

The night before his execution, Valentine apparently wrote to the jailer’s daughter ending his farewell note with the words “Your Valentine”.

This is said to be the origin of the words we know so well today.

Almost 800 years later, the popularity and significance of St Valentine’s Day has increased greatly for lovers and romancers, although it can involve enormous expense.

Greetings card manufacturers, chocolate makers, florists and restaurateurs anticipate this annual revenue bonanza.

Who can blame them, given the last two years particularly?

Woe betide the spouse or partner who forgets to make the expected – sometimes unvoiced – Valentine’s Day arrangements for their loved one.

Residence in the proverbial dog-house may ensue until peace returns to the relationship.

Rumours of price-gouging aside, St Valentine’s Day is big business.

In America alone, one greetings card-maker reputedly sells 145 million Valentine cards each year.

It is reported that 250 million roses are grown annually (especially red ones) to supply the needs of customers world-wide on the day.

Since rose-producing weather doesn’t usually start in our part of the world until well after 14th February, it seems our Valentine’s Day roses are specially grown in warmer climates and jetted in, just in time for them to be purchased at our local florists.

The symbol of a heart pierced by an arrow on Valentine cards is said to originate from the ancient Greek god of erotic love, Eros (called Cupid in the ancient Roman tradition).

He is most commonly portrayed as a cheeky winged cherub, firing his arrows at random passers-by, so ensuring that they will fall madly in love with the next person they meet.

There’s an impressive statue of Eros in London’s Piccadilly Circus, erected in the 1890s.

These days, there’s a heart-and-arrow emoji available for convenient use.

Possibly the oldest surviving love letter in the English language is in the British Library.

(Link to the British Library HERE)

In February 1477, Miss Margery Brews writes to John Paston – her fiancé, her “right well-beloved Valentine”.

Her health is affected “until I hear from you”, she writes.

She states she’s worried because her dowry is less than … em … expected.

She declares her great love for him, hopes that he loves her too because after all, money isn’t everything. (Yes – they did get married!)