St.

Valentine’s Day
Around the world
St. Valentine’s Day - 14 February th

• Around 1 billion cards are exchanged

globally on St. Valentine’s Day each year.

• In 2016, Irish romantics spent more on

Valentine’s Day flowers than their loved-up
peers in countries across Europe, with the
average bouquet bought in the Republic
costing €55, compared with €47 in the UK
and €33 in Germany. (Survey published on March 7, 2016)

• But who was Valentine, what is love and how

is Valentine’s day celebrated around the
world?
 Who was Valentine?
• Valentine was a Christian priest who
lived in Ancient Rome.

• In 270AD, the Emperor Claudius II

forbade marriage because he wanted
men to be able to concentrate on war;
not on their loved ones.

• Valentine carried on celebrating

weddings of marrying couples; but
only couples he thought were truly in
love.

• Emperor Claudius found out and

Valentine was executed on the 14th
February 270AD.
As a result of Valentine’s refusal to betray
his faith in God, hundreds of years later in
496AD, Pope Gelasius declared that we
should remember him every February 14th
as Saint Valentine; the Saint of Love.
Others believe …
Valentine was a physician who lived during the time of Emperor Claudius.
A gastronomist, Valentine fell afoul of the Roman authorities when he
converted to Christianity, and subsequently began treating the blind
daughter of one of the Emperor's prison guards.
When discovered, Valentine was arrested and consequently executed
As he refused to renounce his religious beliefs.
The condemned physician had fallen in love with his blind patient, and
just before his death - on February 14, in 269 or 270 AD –
he is supposed to have sent her a note, signed
"from your Valentine"
This may have been the very first
Valentine’s day card that began
the widely spread tradition of
sending Valentine’s cards on
Valentine’s day.
 During the ages this
Roman holiday of love was
associated with Cupid. In
Roman mythology, Cupid,
the son of Venus, is the
god of desire, affection and
love.
Alongside Cupid, the heart shape,
accompanied by red and pink
colours associated with love and
romance, has also become widely
used on St. Valentine’s Day cards
and gifts.

This is a widely recognised

symbol of love.
These are also the most
common colours of
flowers such as roses,
that are often given as
gifts on this day.
 St Valentine’s day in the 21st century
is becoming increasingly
commercialised, with people spending
a great deal of money on cards,
flowers, expensive gifts,
food and drink.

However, it is important to remind ourselves, that at it’s

heart, remain the themes of love and affection;
the very essence of what St. Valentine gave his life for.

Perhaps this year, we might rise to the challenge to

express our love and appreciation in words and deeds;
keeping the costs to a minimum…

Let’s see if we can get inspiration from others…

Scotland Denmark

Japan

Philippines
China
 In China
The Chinese also have a day devoted to love: Qi Qiao Jie – or the seventh eve –
is often referred to as Chinese Valentine's Day.
While the annual gift giving commonly associated with St. Valentine's Day doesn't
take place, there are several charming customs associated with this romantic day
for those in love:

Valentine's Day in China, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, will fall on
August 28 this year.
That is, on Sunday evening (Aug 27), Niu Lang and Zhi Nu will meet on a bridge
of magpies across the Milky Way.
Chinese grannies will remind children that they would not be able to see any
magpies on that evening because all the magpies have left to form a bridge in the
heavens with their wings.
On this day Chinese girls prepare fruits, melons and incense as offerings to Zhi
Nu, the weaving maiden, praying to acquire high skills in needlecraft, as well as
hoping to find satisfactory husbands.
In the evening, people sit outdoors to observe the stars.
 The Myth

Zhi Nu was said to be the youngest of seven daughters of the Queen of Heaven.
With her sisters, she worked hard to weave beautiful clouds in the sky, while Niu
Lang was a poor orphan, driven out of his home by his elder brother and his cruel
wife.

A cow was his only companion. The magical cow kindly told him of a way to find a
beautiful and kind woman as his life partner. He was told to visit the river…

Zhi Nu was bathing with her six sisters. Niu Lang took the dress of the youngest
sister and hid it. As he had seen her undressed, they must be married.

As Zhi Nu was a fairy, they were only allowed to meet one day a year; on the bridge
of magpies. This day is Qi Qiao Jie – the Chinese Valentine’s day.
 Fairy Of The Magpie Bridge
Among the beautiful clouds,
Over the heavenly river,
Crosses the weaving maiden.
A night of rendezvous,
Across the autumn sky,
Surpasses joy on earth.
Moments of tender love and dream,
So sad to leave the magpie bridge.
Eternal love between us two,
Shall withstand the time apart.

One of the most famous poems about the legend was

written by Qin Guan of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 ).
 In Japan
In Japan, St. Valentine's Day is celebrated on two dates: February 14 and
March 14.
•On the first date, the female gives a gift to the male
•And on the second date; known as White Day (and supposedly introduced by
a marshmallow company in the 1960s...) the male has to return the gift he
received on February 14.
•Thus, strictly speaking, a Japanese female has the luxury of actually choosing
her own gift.

Chocolate is the most popular gift in Japan. However, since most Japanese
females believe that shop-bought chocolate is not a gift of true love, they tend
to make the confection with their own hands.
 In Scotland
In Scotland, Valentine's Day is celebrated with a festival. At this festival, there is an
equal number of unmarried males and females, each of whom write their name (or
a made-up name) on a piece of paper which is then folded and placed into a
hat...one hat for the ladies and one for the men. The females then draw a name
from the hat containing the men's names and vice versa. Of course, it is highly
likely that the two drawn names will not result in a long-term match!

Gifts are given to the ladies. The females then pin the name of their partner over
their hearts or on their sleeves. A dance often follows and, at the end of the festival,
it is not unusual for marriages of other longer-established couples to take place.

According to another Scottish custom, the first young man or woman encountered
by chance on the street or elsewhere will become that individual's valentine.

Valentine's Day gifts in Scotland are frequently given by both parties in the form of
a love-token or true-love-knot.
 In the Philippines
While Valentine’s Day celebrations in the Philippines are similar to
celebrations in Western countries, one tradition has swept the country
and led to thousands of couples sharing a wedding day on February
14th. Mass wedding ceremonies have gained popularity in the
Philippines in recent years, leading hundreds of couples to gather at
malls or other public areas around the country to get married or renew
their vows en masse.

A couple displays their wedding rings during a mass

wedding sponsored by the city of Paranaque, south of
Manila, Philippines on Valentine's Day, 2012.
 Right: In the Philippines’
capital, Manila, more than
700 couples, all residents
of the city, tied the knot
on Valentine’s Day, 2015

Left: Newly married couple

Nonilon and Concepción Elizalde
kiss following their participation
in a mass wedding
sponsored by the city of Paranaque
(St. Valentine’s Day, 2012)
 In Denmark
The Danish valentine day’s card known as a lover's card came in the form of a
transparency. When held up to the light showed a picture of a lover handing his love
a gift.

In Denmark, people swap poems and candy snowdrops. Some people also send
love notes – not serious love notes but, laughable/comic ones which are called
gaekkebrev which are also referred to as joking letters. On the gaekkebrev, the
sender signs his or her name in dots.

If the receiver guesses the correct name, then the sender will get a candy egg at
Easter time.
 What is love?
This is a question that has puzzled poets and philosophers
for many centuries. But all agree that love goes far beyond
giving each other presents once a year.
According to philosophers, poets, bloggers… Love is:

•‘Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while

loving someone deeply gives you courage’ — Lao Tzu

•‘Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart

whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song.
With the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet’ – Plato

•‘Wanting to be there for each other through the good times

and growing stronger together through the bad’ – unknown

•‘Love is putting someone else’s needs above your own’ –

Susan Borowski
 According to Song writers…
The Beatles – All You Need is Love
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love,
love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be
done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say, but you can learn
How to play the game
It's easy…
All you need is love, all you need is
love,
All you need is love, love. Love is all
you need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love,
love, love.
All you need is love, all you need is
love,
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need.
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks
And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70
And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23
And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in
mysterious ways
Maybe just the touch of a hand
Oh me I fall in love with you every single day
And I just wanna tell you I am
So honey now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are
 According to St. Paul:

4
Love is always patient and kind; love is not
envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does
not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or
resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but
rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8
Love never ends.
1 Corinthians 13: 4–8
Prayer for St. Valentine’s Day
Heavenly Father,
You gave Saint Valentine the courage to
witness to the gospel of Christ, even to
the point of giving his life for it.
Help us to endure all suffering for love
of you, and to seek you with all our
hearts; for you alone are the source of
life and love. Grant that we may have
the courage and love to be strong
witnesses of your truth to our friends
and family and to the whole world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus
Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer to St. Valentine

Dear Saint and glorious martyr.

Teach us to love unselfishly and
to find great joy in giving. Enable
all true lovers to bring out the best
in God and in each other.
Amen.
A Friend’s Prayer on St. Valentine’s Day

I said a Valentine prayer for you

and asked the Lord above
to fill your heart and bless your soul
With the precious gift of love.

I asked Him for sincere love

The kind that's meant to stay
Just like the generous love
You give to those you meet each
day.

I prayed for love from family

And from every cherished friend
Then I asked the Lord to give you
His love that knows no end.
Wishing you all a Happy Saint
Valentine’s Day!