Il February 14 each year, lovers indulge in candlelit dinners and romantic travels. Sweet boyfriends give their loved ones flowers and chocolates, as well as maybe some nice trinkets to show off with friends. Valentine's Dayin fact, it has been honored since time immemorial, and represents the apotheosis of love and beauty. Well, this anniversary has not always been linked to the celebration of happy couples, quite the contrary. We tell you today the true story of the Valentine's Day, a journey of faith, but also of curiosity and fun!
Valentine, the martyr who refused to recant
Valentine's Day was the famous patron of Terni. He was born in 176 AD in his city, and died a martyr in Rome. His life path led him to faith, and he was ordained bishop by San Feliciano di Foligno. After a few years, he was urged by Craton (an orator) to preach the Gospel and convert the pagans. Valentino's proselytizing, however, sparked the ire of the then emperor Claudius II the Gothic, who ordered him to suspend the religious celebration, and to renounce his faith. Valentino not only refused, but tried by every means to convert Claudio himself. The emperor, moved by contingent compassion, spared him the terrible capital punishment, entrusting him to a noble family. Subsequently, the patron saint of Terni came arrested again, during Aurelian's empire. The saint's strenuous struggle did not cease, although Rome relentlessly persecuted any Christian who identified himself as such.
Valentino's fame and notoriety grew visibly, so much so that the Roman soldiers, to eliminate his growing power, captured him and took him out of the city, along the Via Flaminia, to scourging him. Valentino died beheaded in 273, by the hand of the Roman soldier Furius Placidus.
The true story of the Valentine's Day: the origins
In fact, the origins of the Valentine's Day are very ancient. The festivities were once known as Lupercals, and were of Roman origin. They were born, therefore, as pagan festivals, in fact they were dedicated to god Faun Luperco and the goddess Juno, and were honored on February 15. From the XNUMXth century BC, a fertility ceremonial was introduced into these rites, a legacy of the cult of the Mother goddess professed by the Oschi, an Italic people from the Volturno and Sangro valleys.
This kind of manifestation was rather licentious: during the ceremony, the names of the aspirants were placed in an urn fauns and of the virgin maidens, called wolves-nymphs, which had to be fertilized. One of the boys extracted the names of the sacred couples, that for a whole year they would be involved in an intimate relationship, so that the rite was concluded. In a society threatened by death, war, plague and famine, love was an indispensable way out!
The Church sublimates pagan rites: come on Lupercals at the feast of St. Valentine martyr
As we have seen, the birth of this festival appears to derive from a totally naturalistic spirit, which had little to do with the Christian religion. To curb the enthusiasm of the young, the Church decided to reconvert in a sense this feast, giving it a appearance more similar to that ofcourtly love. The Lupercals were suppressed by Pope Gelasius I, in 496 AD The Church anticipated the celebrations at 14 February, and entrusted Valentine with the important task of protect boyfriends who were about to get married. Starting from the early Middle Ages, the religious cult reserved for St. Valentine was mainly spread by the Benedictines, the first custodians of the Basilica of Terni, who took care to pass on the deeds and virtues of the Saint, until they reached France and England. In fact, even these villages, shortly afterwards, saw this traditional festival become more and more popular, dedicated to what was identified as patron of lovers.
In short, whether it is celebrated by remembering pagan rites, honoring the bond of marriage, or with a gallant date, it is important to celebrate this day. Because? but why is it the most romantic of the year!
