Does Valentine's Day have to be pagan?
Man was created out of love and to love
February 14 is an opportunity for romantics to say to their loved ones: I love you. For the timid - the right moment for courage. It is also an opportunity for sellers to make a lot of money. However, for the majority of the representatives of the singles generation, this is a demonstration of love as empty words, one-day gestures. So, is Valentine's Day another popular culture product like Halloween?
The story of a cut heart with the inscription "Your Valentine" has its origins in pagan Rome. It was then that it was noticed that in mid-February the birds chirped differently to each other and slowly pair up. This symbolic gesture contributed to the fact that on February 15, the inhabitants of the Eternal City organized a festival in honor of the god of fertility, Faunus Lupercus.
The day before, however, something exciting was happening for both girls and boys. It was then that the emotional love lottery took place. The women signed their names on pieces of paper, which were then drawn by the men. In this way, no one would have been aloneduring the festival. However, the joined coupleoften bonded together for much longer periods of time. Sometimes even for life.
When Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, Pope Gelasius I abolished this pagan practice in AD 496. However, the very celebration of love has not been negated. It was only given a new, appropriate rank, replacing pagan rites with the memory of a man for whom the love of two people was something extremely important. So important that he did not hesitate to give his life for love.
It took place during the reign of Emperor Claudius Gothicus, who forbade young men from entering into marriages. He based his order on the reluctance of men to enter the military. Saint Valentine, seeing the absurdity of the ban, preformed secret weddings. This, of course, had its consequences. The emperor ordered to thrown Valentine in prison and beat with sticks. The famous legend is also worth mentioning. It says that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with the guard's blind daughter. The woman, under the influence of this love, regained her sight. When the emperor found out about it, he had Valentine beheaded. On the eve of the execution, Valentine wrote a letter to his beloved, which he signed: "From Your Valentine". This is how the custom of sending anonymous heart-shaped candies to someone we care about,has developed.
The bodily and sensual dimensions of this holiday on the one hand, and the commercial ones on the other, have caused many to lose the true dimension of celebration and the awareness of what love really is. The promotion of erotic gadgets and sexy lingerie results from the desire for profit, but also the desire to convince young people, above all, that sex is an inseparable element of love. Equating the gift of love with sex is one of the greatest absurdities of the progressive world. Man develops through love, gets rid of selfishness, discovers the meaning of his own humanity. Love not only gives man metaphorical wings, but the pure and true one brings him closer to God himself.
So, is Valentine's Day needed by Catholics? Does falling in love need celebration? More than ever. It is only worth paying attention to the true meaning of this holiday. Flowers, paper hearts, a candlelight dinner are nothing bad in themselves - although the decorative packaging should not obscure what is really important.
On this day, the Church prays for special graces for those in love. There is also a special blessing for bride and groom. Perhaps on this day it is worth finding time to truly celebrate love.
In this context, the words of John Paul II are still relevant. “Today the civilization of death offers you, among other things, the so-called free love. In this distortion of love comes theprofanation of one of the most dear and sacred values, because licentiousness is neither love nor freedom. " Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect " (Rom 12: 2) - Saint Paul exhorts us. Do not be afraid to live against popular opinion and against God's law. The courage of faith costs a lot, but you cannot lose love! Do not be enslaved! Do not be seduced by delusions of happiness for which you would have to pay too great a price, the price of often incurable injuries or even a broken life [your own and someone else's]!
There is countless advice in the mass media for the original celebration of love, often detached from any norms and values. A Catholic should remember the Christian aspect of this holiday. About establishing a personal relationship with another person, about the ability to give, complementing and respecting oneself, about conversation, about common prayer about thanking God for the gift of love.
In everyday life, where we lose our natural contact with other people more and more, in which text messages become a substitute for conversation, and a glass of wine is our evening friend - such a rare grace is the true virtue of love.
On St. Valentine's Day, it is worth considering this gift, thanking God for experiencing the miracle of love in our lives. Today's feast is a good occasion to ask the brave martyr to keep our eyes open, so that at the right moment we may recognize this love.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george