Valentine’s Day: the holiday people either look forward to or dread.

Celebrated on February 14, the day Saint Valentine died for love, many people don’t know the origins of this holiday.

So, in this article, you will hear facts about this Saint, as well as accounts of students at Knoch who feel love, just like St. Valentine, is dead. I’ve also included some links for those with a limited vocabulary or lack of knowledge about the past. 

Some History: In short, Valentine’s day is a Christian Feast honoring the martyr named Saint Valentine.

Back a long time ago, when Saint Valentine‘s just a wee lad, he was a clergyman. In the Roman Empire, being a Christian was a no-no, so he was a minister to these folks. He believed love is love. He would marry Christians in secret, but when the Roman government realized what was happening, they murdered him. 

Valentine died in 269 AD but did not get recognized as a Roman martyr until 354  AD. His feast day, the day he died, was not celebrated until 496 A.D. By February 14, 269. Pope Gelasius I said,  “… whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God.” 

He became a martyr. I’m not sure if this is just a me thing, but I would prefer for him not to have become a martyr. 

Like many young impressionable teenagers, we sometimes don’t think about the most important things first. Saint Valentine was trying to help people in love and that got him dead. So, if you put two and two together, love=death. So in context, teenagers may decide to date someone and not think of the consequences.

But don’t just listen to me. Here’s another KHS student’s opinion on love and Valentine’s Day:

“Maybe I’m just jaded, but I think hookup culture has really ruined our generations ability to have the stereotypical high school sweetheart,” senior Blair Bowen said. “Things get so complicated nowadays with social media and whatnot, and it actually makes me kind of sad.”

Another thing about Valentine’s Day: What about those stupid gifts? The heart shaped chocolate or the teddy bear with a heart?

“If you want to express to someone that you love them that much, why on Earth would you get something tacky?” said Junior Lauren Schriner. “Get [them] something more meaningful (and you can even hand make it for bonus points) to show you truly care for that person.”

Okay Lauren, some people enjoy these gifts, some people don’t. Significant others always try to find wonderful gifts for each other but sometimes they fall short.

“No one likes tacky gifts,” said Junior Lauren Schriner. “Getting your significant other a heart shaped necklace is equivalent to proposing in an Olive Garden on Valentine’s Day.”

These are bad, but just be thankful your significant other didn’t get you bees.

Saint Valentine is also the patron saint of beekeepers. I guess those heart shaped gifts are better than bee stings.

Most people may not have known this before I looked it up, but St Valentine is also the patron saint of Terni and epilepsy. Now doesn’t that just scream love? As we know, he is commemorated in Western Christianity on February 14 but in Eastern orthodoxy, his feast is on July 6. Wouldn’t it be weird to celebrate Valentine’s day in July?

But even if Valentine’s Day was celebrated in another month, people will still be getting tacky presents. 

Love caused the death of Saint Valentine, but still, all around the world, people believe love exists and aren’t deterred.  Some are even happy (for now). 

“There are still exceptions, and I definitely know a lot of couples who are genuine with each other, and for that, I just have to say I am jealous,” said Bowen.

So, whether you think love is dead or it’s in bloom like the flowers will be in Spring, Saint Valentine died so people could fall in love. Whether he deserves to be a martyr in your book or have a holiday celebrated for him, you have to at least recognize the effects of his actions. So, if beekeepers worship him, I might just become a beekeeper now and just pray to him every day. So is he an interesting guy ? Is love dead? Should we bury Valentine’s Day like its namesake? 

I can’t answer all these questions but will leave you with some advice from Blair:

“Please for the love of God, do not get involved with your co-workers or close friends,” said Bowen. “If and when it inevitably ends in flames there is nothing more awkward than maintaining a work relationship and acting like nothing has happened. 0/10 would not recommend it.”