www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Valentines in the wind.

As the date of that special day to celebrate love and friendships approaches inquiring minds wish to know.

Is St. Valentine a western or eastern saint? I think there was a St. Valentine in Rome, a bishop I believe...but not sure. Do Eastern Christians celebrate the day in any way? If so, in what way?

In any event, saint or legend, we all have our St. Valentine day stories.

Here are some of mine: I remember the time when we were first engaged when my husband had a beautiful cake made for me on St. Valentine's day. And when I was a teen my fancy formal dance and long gown (we called them formals)was worn on St. Valentine's day. But what remains most vivid in memory is...

We were living in the country near Palmer, Alaska in 1980 when our youngest child, our girl, Schatzie, was only eight years old. As did most grade schoolers she had purchased and/or created cards for her classmates. But when it was time to depart the school bus that afternoon heavy winds had begun. I mean some of them were up to 100 m.p.h. sometimes causing huge snow drifts. I hadn't had time to get from where we lived to the bus stop before I noticed the roar. The winds came strong and hard and not only blew all their valentines across the nearby fields but actually caught up Schatzie and her friend and blew them as well. Thank God a neighbor was able to run after them and rescue them that day. Valentines in the wind, indeed!

He's a Western Saint.

There seems to be a wee bit of confusion about St. Valentine, but he was Roman, literally. He was beheaded on Feb 14. Tradition says there was a bishop named Valentine in Terni (60 miles from Rome) beheaded on the same day. Most people now think they're the same guy.

In the Middle Ages, the tradition of love began on this day because it was the day people believed that birds began to pair.

domilsean, thanks for the info. Being an ardent birdwatcher I especially appreciated that last part.


Mary Jo

domilsean,

Thanks for this info. Being an ardent bird watcher I especially appreciate that last part.

domilsean,

Thanks for the information about St. Valentine. I liked that last part about the birds especially since I am a bird watcher.

Blessings,

Mary Jo

domilsean,

Thanks for this info. Being an ardent bird watcher I especially appreciate that last part.

Friends, so sorry for the repeats. For some reason they weren't going out so retyped the same post. Then a few minutes later they all showed up.

Yes, there were 2 St. Valentine's martyred on Feb. 14. One is, as a poster mentioned, bishop of Terni, the other, was a priest in Rome. I think he is the one that the legend is attached to. According to legend he cured the daughter of his jailer from blindness. Out of graditude she gave him some candles, and he sent her a thank you note, signed "Your Valentine".

There are other St. Valentines from other periods.

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day I thought I would resurrect this thread once and again just to see if there are any Valentine stories out there to be shared as I did on the first post. This time I hope my post will just go out once and not be quadrupled.

Thanks Mike for sharing.

Happy Valentine's Day friends.

Bless you all.


Mary Jo

Dear Mary Jo,

It seems to me that you are a hopeless romantic .

So here goes--I am not all that crazy about St. Valentine's day, (I love my husband *every* day..or just about every day *wink*, and chocolates are a red light food for my dieting, and roses die too quickly and cost too much, etc.....)so I am doing this JUST for you!

My memories of St. Valentine's day are these:I remember seeing Barry White in concert at Radio City Music Hall with my boyfriend and another couple when I was a teenager. That was very cool! I also remember large hearts with chocolates, large cards with hearts, and red roses.

I do fondly remember one lovely Valentine date with my husband when we were engaged. We were SO young--I was 21 and my husband was 24. It was at the famous NYC restaurant (don't even know if it is still around) the Rainbow room. There was a person going around giving roses and little gifts to all the patrons that night (a small white porcelain photo frame which now has a picture of my son as a toddler in it and which has a chip after all these years). She also took a black and white photo of each couple. After 26 years, my husband still has that photo in his wallet! I look at it, and besides thinking how young we were, I think of how silly we both look as we were desperately trying to look grown up! LOL! :rolleyes:

It is truly funny how times have changed...NOW, I am desperately trying to look young!

Fondly,
Alice

I am thankful that my husband, sons, and dad have always been romantics. They make Valentines Day everyday. The generosity of their hearts is remarkable.

The time that speaks most to me was actully something our oldest son did. It was in '94, I had been injured at work and was working a different job at the Post Office. He appeared with a vase of two dozen pink roses, so proud, he had bought them with his own money. I say then, because I knew as a young man that day that his dad had done ok. That no matter what happened in life he would be ok because he was like his dad. God was on the throne of his heart and God would get him to where he needs to go.

Pani Rose

My +dear husband and I pretty well ignored the Hallmark holiday -- as Pani Rose said, every day was marked with love and generosity. It was, however, on Valentine's Day that he gave me the engagement ring we'd seen in the store a few weeks earlier.

Penthaetria, *sniff-sniff*

I forgot to add that perhaps the sweetest St. Valentine's Days were the ones when the children were young and would present me their Valentine handicrafts that they made at school. They presented them with both love in their hearts and wide eyed expectation to my reaction!

Happy St. Valentine's Day to all my friends here whom I care about with the love of Christ in my heart...which is the most precious love of all!

XOXO,
Alice

How delightful! Alice, Pani Rose, and Pentha Tria.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Blessings,

Mary Jo...who, yes, Alice, is a 'hopeless romantic', well sometimes, anyway.

Valentine's Day? Hmmmm.

Charles, is your Christmas tree still up?
My cards are still on display!

-- Penthaetria, who needs something to smile about today