Valentine's Day: the most day hated loved of the year. Pretty couples that crowd restaurants, cinemas, theaters, bowling alleys and sidewalks. All holding hands, exchanging gifts and fake tender compliments. A joy, especially if you don't have a partner to do all this with. However, to the aid of the fearless lone warriors, the glorious has come Roman Empire. How? With the deeds of the noble San Faustino of Sarezzo.
From pagan knight to model Christian
The story of San Faustino is as compelling as a comic from Marvel and begins in a city that vaguely resembles American metropolises: Brescia. It is in fact in Lombardy that our young hero takes his first steps in the XNUMXnd century AD We are in the middle of the classical era with the Roman Empire which, under the leadership of Adriano, reaches its maximum extension. A golden age then, but one that sees a small religious cult spreading more and more: the Christianity. Small stuff given the historical evolution, but Faustino likes that religion a lot. He thus decides to convert by being baptized by the bishop Apollonius. Not exactly a wise gesture considering its noble pagan origins and belonging to the Order of the Knights.
San Faustino: when luck sees very well
One day Faustino is asked to make a sacrifice in honor of the gods. Things like wean a goat, burn something or boycott a product of any multinational. In short, the usual routine. But the model neo-Christian is strongly opposed, and that too was not a very wise move. In fact, he was imprisoned without many second thoughts waiting for the Emperor who was passing through Brescia in those days.
Once in the city, Adriano explicitly asks Faustino to worship the sun god. Another refusal, another unwise move. The Emperor orders the execution of the traitor by throwing him in a cage full of leoni. The big cats instead of devouring him, bow at his feet. The executioner, however, does not lose heart and opts for a classic fire. But instead of burning alive, the flames don't even touch him. San Faustino 2 - Empire 0
Adriano has the miraculous man deported to Rome. Chained to the center of the Colosseum, the lions are given a second chance. Again nothing, not even a bite.
Doesn't it die? Then drastic move: exile. The rest Out of sight out of mind it is always a valid method. He is then tied up on a boat and left in the middle of the sea at the mercy of the currents. After two days and the raft returns from where it left off.
Tired and desperate, the Emperor orders the beheading. Unfortunately in this case there is little to do and Faustino dies on February 15th.
From that day the Romans began to associate his name with luck. But for singles we have to wait for the Middle Ages when, again in Brescia, a local market was established to allow the city's bachelors to get to know each other. A type of tinder medieval. And when did this market take place? February 15.
