Feeling the Love

Although Valentine’s Day is not a legally acknowledged holiday in any country, it’s a feast day in various Christian denominations. There are multiple martyrdom stories associated with several men named Valentine—there are a few facts and more than a few legends.

The two Valentines who are acknowledged on February 14 are Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni. Valentine of Rome was a priest who was martyred in 269—you can view his flower-decorated skull in the Basilica of Santa Maria. How romantic.

Valentine of Terni was a bishop in Central Italy, and he was supposedly martyred in 273 under the persecution of Emperor Aurelian. A relic which is supposedly Terni’s head is preserved and venerated in the abbey of New Minster, Winchester. But enough about the historical Valentines and their preserved body parts.

Legally acknowledged or not, Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world. The practice of sending cards, flowers, chocolates, and other gifts originated in the United Kingdom. Worldwide, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in much the same way, although the calendar date is not always February 14.

In addition to hearts and flowers (and preserved skulls), a few countries add their own ways of celebrating. In El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia, the tradition of el secreto amigo (secret friend) is carried out much like we participate in Secret Santa at Christmas. In Sidon, Lebanon, Valentine’s Day is celebrated with the whole family. It is about family love rather than a couple’s love.

In Japan, there are too many rules regarding the giving of chocolates for my brain to make much sense of it—suffice it to say that the better the quality of the chocolate, the more the recipient is esteemed. In other words, Ghirardelli=good. Nestlé Quik=not so good.

In South Korea, women give chocolate candy to men on February 14 and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14. On April 14, those who did not receive anything on either day go to a restaurant to eat black noodles and mourn their single life. (That sounds like I made it up, doesn’t it? I didn’t).

In many non-Christian countries in the Eastern hemisphere, Valentine’s Day is frowned upon as a symbol of the spread of decadent Western culture. In Malaysia and Pakistan, there have been attempts to ban Valentine’s Day celebrations. In Saudi Arabia, bans against the holiday have created a black market for red roses and wrapping paper. In Afghanistan, where Valentine’s Day is strongly discouraged, those who are bold may express their love through poetry. They defy their lack of freedoms by saying, “I kiss you amid the Taliban.” (I didn’t make that up, either.)

Let’s face it. No matter what those in authority do, whether it’s government authority, school authority, or parental authority, love cannot be defeated. Just ask the Montagues and Capulets.

Those of us who are Christians believe that God is love, and we are commanded in both the Old and New Testaments to love the Lord with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our minds. That’s a whole lot of love.

Whether or not you have a special someone in your life this year on Valentine’s Day, remember that you are loved by a God who knew you before you were created, and in His ultimate expression of love for YOU, He gave up His son. It doesn’t get any better than that. Happy Valentine’s Day.

[Factual information presented in this article was shamelessly borrowed from Wikipedia.]