Valentine’s Day:  The Endurance of love

by israel portilla gómez

Saint Valentine teaches us that all true love is fruitful and therefore
​a gift from God, no matter how much violence and death try to extinguish it.

Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14, is an opportunity for lovers to express their affection and pledge eternal love with a bouquet of flowers, which embodies the noblest intentions of the human spirit. It is also a day overshadowed by consumerism that seeks only to sell a range of products adorned with hearts. That is why I would like to revisit the origin of the celebration, which is essentially: the resistance to love in the face of political oppression. There are several versions and even legends of how the so-called Lovers’ Day came about. The following is one of the most likely stories.

Saint Valentine was a young priest who lived under the Roman Empire in the third century. At that time, Christianity was fiercely persecuted, and many religious practices had to be carried out in secret. During the dominion of Emperor Claudius II, nicknamed the Gothic, a law was enacted prohibiting young men from marrying so that they could enlist in the army, as it was believed that single men made better soldiers because they had no emotional ties or attachments. However, Valentine defied the emperor’s order and secretly married lovers. This did not last long; he was discovered and imprisoned in the dungeon. The dungeon was a very dark, dirty, and foul smelling underground prison for prisoners who were of great value to the empire and thus served to intimidate those who defied authority. For example, St. Peter and St. Paul were also held there.

In the dungeon, there was an officer in charge of guarding Valentine, who was impressed by his testimony of faith, as he endured torture without complaint to renounce his faith, which he never did. He was admired for his compassion toward the other prisoners in the dungeon. The officer, as proof of faith in God, challenged Saint Valentine to restore the sight of his daughter Julia, who had been blind since birth. He accepted the challenge, knelt before her, and prayed in the name of Our Lord Jesus, and she regained her sight. Upon seeing this, the officer and his entire family converted to Christianity. Despite this miraculous event, he remained in prison until he was stoned and beheaded on February 14, 269 A.D.

Legend has it that Valentine had fallen in love with Julia, to whom he wrote in his farewell letter: “From your Valentine.” She, in gratitude, planted an almond tree which, on the date of his martyrdom, began to bear beautiful pink flowers. Similarly, around the same time, birds were seen arriving in pairs, singing and dancing in love, later forming their first nests, announcing the imminent arrival of spring. In the 4th century, Pope Julius I, built a basilica there in his honor. Today, the relics of Saint Valentine are in the Church of Saint Praxedes in Rome, Italy.

Saint Valentine teaches us that all true love is fruitful and therefore a gift from God, no matter how much violence and death try to extinguish it. Let us follow his example and love with all our hearts all those who need us. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Rev. Israel Portilla-Gómez (He/him/his) is Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. 2222 E Tudor Rd, Anchorage, AK 99507. [email protected]. (907) 563-3341. Ext. 13. ​