February 14
Saints of the Day...and Events

St. Valentine of Rome, d.269
The Physician priest of Rome who converter a jailer by restoring the sight to his daughter... in the middle of St. Valentine's Day.

    Priest in Rome, possibly a bishop. Physician. Imprisoned for giving aid to martyrs in prison, and while there converted the jailer by restoring sight to the jailer's daughter. The jailer and his entire household, like that of Saint Cornelius, were baptized. Unfortunately, this led to Valentine's further punishment, for it roused the anger of Emperor Claudius the Goth, who condemned him to be beaten with clubs, then beheaded. Asterius, the jailer, and his entire family are also said to have been martyred.
    While Valentine of Terni and Valentine of Rome sometimes have separate entries in martyrologies and biographies, most scholars believe they are the same person.
    With several other Christians Saint Valentine was tortured and martyred in the year 269.
    This illustrious martyr has always been held in great honor in Rome, where there still exists a catacomb. He is the patron of lovers.
    The feast of St. Valentine was first declared around 498 by Pope Gelasius I. The creation of the feast may have been an attempt to supersede the pagan holiday of Lupercalia celebrated on February 15.
    The saint's feast day was removed from the Church calendar in 1969 as part of a broader effort to remove saints of possibly legendary origin. The feast day is still celebrated locally in some parishes.

    There are several theories about the origin of Valentine's Day celebrations.
    1- Some believe the Romans had a mid-February custom where boys drew girls' names in honor of the sex and fertility goddess, Februata Juno; pastors "baptised" this holiday, like some others, by substituting the names of saints such as Valentine to suppress the practice.
    2- Others maintain that the custom of sending Valentines on 14 February stems from the belief that birds begin to pair on that date. By 1477 the English associated lovers with the feast of Valentine because on that day "every bird chooses him a mate." The custom started of men and women writing love letters to their Valentine on this day.
    Other "romance" traditions have become attached to this feast, including pinning bay leaves to your pillow on Valentine's Eve so that you will see your future mate that night in your dreams.
    St. Valentine's Day

Died beaten and beheaded c.269 at Rome; buried on the Flaminian Way; relics later translated to the Church of Saint Praxedes
Images Gallery of images of Saint Valentine [3 images]
Additional Information
    http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintv06.htm  
    http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/engl/02-14.htm
    http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0214.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine   
Translate español | français | deutsch | italiano | português [Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius]

St. Cyril (and St. Methodius), 827-869, (d. 869; d. 884), Apostle of the Slavs
Two brother monks apostles of the Slavs, converted the Jewish Khazars of Russia and developed an alphabet for the Slavonic language.

    St. Cyril was brother of Saint Methodius. Greek nobility; his family was connected with the senate of Thessalonica, and his mother Maria may have been Slavic.
    Because their father was an officer in a part of Greece inhabited by many Slavs, these two Greek brothers ultimately became missionaries, teachers and patrons of the Slavic peoples.
    Monk, taking the name Cyril. Sent with Methodius by the emperor in 861 to convert the Jewish Khazars of Russia, a mission that was successful, and which allowed him to learn the Khazar's language.
    In 863, sent with Methodius to convert Moravians in their native tongue. Though some western clergy opposed their efforts and refused to ordain their candidates for the priesthood, they did good work.
    Developed an alphabet for the Slavonic language that eventually became what is known as the Cyrillic today. After initial criticism for their use of it, they achieved approval of the Liturgy in the Slavonic language.
    May have been bishop, but may have died before the consecration ceremony.
Born 827 at Thessalonica, Greece as Constantin
Died 14 February 869 at Rome, Italy
Patronage Bohemia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, ecumenism, Europe, Moravia, unity of the Eastern and Western Churches, Yugoslavia
Additional Information
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc08.htmGoogle Directory
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1291
Translate español | français | deutsch | italiano | português
Readings
    When the time came for Cyril to set out from this world to the peace of his heavenly homeland, he prayed to God with his hands outstretched and his eyes filled with tears: "O Lord, my God, you have created the choirs of angels and spiritual powers; you have stretched forth the heavens and established the earth, creating all that exists from nothing. You hear those who obey your will and keep your commands in holy fear. Hear my prayer and protect your faithful people, for you have established me as their unsuitable and unworthy servant.
    "Make your people known for the unit and profession of their faith. Inspire the hearts of your people with your word and your teaching. You called us to preach the Gospel of your Christ and to encourage them to lives and works pleasing to you.
    "I now return to you, your people, your gift to me. Direct them with your powerful right hand, and protect them under the shadow of your wings. May all praise and glorify your name, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. from an old Slavonic biography of Saint Cyril
 

Events of February 14 - Saints of February 14:
 http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0214.htm

Art Galleries of Religions and Christianity

The Jerome Bible Commentary, book by book
1,093 prophecies and types of the Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus and His Church

Other Web Sites of Dr. Dominguez
(over 300 in English and Spanish)

Home-Index   E- Mail to: J. Dominguez, M.D.   Last edition: November 29, 2004