6 amazing facts about Saint Valentine

A man named Valentine was executed on February 14 at the end of the third century AD - it's not much that is known about him. But when it comes to the details of his life, the legend often replaces the facts. If you are planning to celebrate Valentine's Day, find out more about the man who became the patron of couples in love.

1. In fact, there were two men named Valentine who could be the inspirers of the holiday

As you know, Saint Valentine was a real man who died in about 270. It was he who was recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. However, his identity was questioned as far back as 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who claimed that his deeds and torments can only be known to God. One of the chronicles of 1400 describes Valentine as a minister of the temple, who was beheaded by the order of Emperor Claudius II for helping Christian couples. Other chronicles claim that Valentine was bishop of Terni, was also tortured by order of Claudius II near Rome. Because of the similarities of these chronicles, there was an opinion that it was a question of the same person. Confusion around the person of St. Valentine led to the fact that the Catholic church stopped his liturgical veneration in 1969, although his name remains on the list of officially recognized saints.

2. In general, there are about a dozen saints named Valentine

The saint, whom we recall on February 14, is officially called Saint Valentine of Rome to distinguish him from a dozen other Valentines on the list. All because the name Valentine - from the Latin "worthy", "strong" - was popular between the second and the eighth century, and several martyrs each century took this name. The official Catholic register of saints shows about a dozen men with the name Valentin or one of the variations. One of the last was St. Valentine Berrio-Ochoa, from the Spanish Dominican Order, who traveled to Vietnam and served as a bishop. In 1861 he was beheaded. Pope John Paul II canonized it in 1988. In addition, there was even Pope Valentine, but little is known about his life. It served about 40 days in about 827.

3. Valentin is the patron of beekeepers and epileptics

Saints, it turns out, have responsibilities even in the afterlife. They must look after earthly affairs and listen to people's requests. In this respect, Saint Valentine has a very wide range of responsibilities. In addition, that he is considered the patron of couples in love, he also has to do with beekeeping and epilepsy, as well as plague, fainting and travel. As expected, he is also the patron of happy marriages.

4. The skull of St. Valentine can be seen in Rome

Decorated with flowers, the Valentine's skull can be seen in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. In the early 1800s, during the excavations of the catacombs near Rome, remains and other relics associated with Saint Valentine were discovered. As usual, these remains were later distributed around the world. Other remains of the skeleton of the patron saint of all lovers can be seen in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Scotland, England and France.

5. Valentine's Day, most likely, came up with Chaucer

The medieval English poet Jeffrey Chaucer often allowed himself liberties with history, placing his poetic symbols in the fictitious historical context that he gave out as real. There are no records of a romantic holiday on Valentine's Day, which would precede the poem Chaucer, written in 1375. In his work "Bird Parliament" he links the tradition of courtly love with the celebration of Valentine's Day. This association did not exist until his poem was widely disseminated. The poem mentions that on February 14 birds (and people) gathered together to find a couple. It is possible that it was Chaucer who came up with the holiday that we know today.

6. You can celebrate Valentine's Day several times a year

Given the sufficient number of saints who bear this name, you can choose when to celebrate this day each year. In addition to February 14, you can celebrate Valentine's Day on November 3 or January 7. You can also read the only woman among them - Saint Valentine, who was tortured in Palestine on July 25, 308. The Orthodox Church officially celebrates the patron saint of lovers twice: on July 6 and 30.