People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1894 — ST. VALENTINE’S DAY. [ARTICLE]

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY.

Something About Its Origin and the Ceremonies Connected with It. Among the many names of saints who have been canonized by the church in past ages, two stand out prominently as having received the wider canonization of the human heart: St Nicholas, the patron of childhood, and St Valentine, the patron of lovers. Yet in the case of the litter i t is difficult if not impossible, to trace any connection between the good bisho p of the third century and the rites that have been so widely celebrated in his name. St Valen tine was an Italian priest who suffered martyrdom at Rome in 270, or at Terni in 300. Historians differ as to the date. Legend am plifles, by dwelling on the virtues of his life and the manner of his death, and tells how he was brought before Emperor Claudius 11. who asked why he did not cultivate his friendship by honoring his gods. As Valentine pleaded the cause of the one true God earnestly, Calphurnius. the priest, cried out that he was seducing the emperor, whereupon he was sent to Asterius to be judged. To him Valentino spoke of Christ, the Light of the World, and Asterius said: “If He be the light of the world He will restore the light to my daughter, who has been blind for two years.” The maiden was brought, and after Valentine prayed and laid hands on her she received her sight. Then Asterius asked that he and his household might be baptized, whereat the emperor, being enraged, caused all to be imprisoned and Valentine to be beaten with clubs. De was beheaded a year later at Rome on February 14, 270. History having little to tell concerning the man, makes amends by dwelling at length on the ceremonies observed on his day. They trace the origin of these to the Roman Lupercalia, celebrated in February, at which one practice was to put the names of women in a box to be drawn by the men, each being bound to serve and honor the woman whose name he had drawn. The church tried to turn the existing custom to religious ends by substituting the name of saints, to whom a year’s devotion would be paid. Possibly the change may have been instituted on the day made sacred by the martyrdom of the Roman saint, hence his connection with these observances. But changes came, and dead saints were neglected, for living sinners perhaps, and the old Roman custom somehow was transplanted to merrie England, where lads and lasses met on the day of the Italian priest’s martyrdom to choose their valentine by lot or otherwise. An old custom was to throw open the window early in the morning, and the first person seen would be your valentine for the year. The eager ewain would insure the right man being in the right place on that morning. But it is historically and physiologically true that the man clung more to the maid he had chosen than to her who had chosen him, if the persons were not identical To meet this difficulty a gift canceled the obligation of personal service. A modern legend tells that in this nineteenth century the good St Valentine. with Peter’s leave, revisited the earth, thinking to find youth and life and love the same as in days of yore. But he found the girls too busy with music and science and philanthropy to receive him, and he came to the conclusion that they were “nothing if not pedantic,” and “anything but roman-, tic.” Yet the spirit of St. Valentine will linger, for love is never out of date, and his fidelity marks him as the fitting patron and pattern of lovers for ail time. —Florence Wilson, in Ladies’ Home Journal.