This painting is in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome and depicts Saint Valentine of Rome, whose martyrdom is remembered today. He was one of at least a dozen Saints Valentine as well as one pope with the same name. “Valentinus” [also, Valentin(e)] was a very popular name between the second and eighth centuries A.D.
Although the Catholic Church no longer lists him as a saint due to myriad discrepancies in the stories about the miracle legend suggests that he performed, he is commemorated on this day in the Martyrology. Still under his purview are lovers, engaged couples and happy marriages as well as the protection of beekeepers, epileptics, travelers and to guard against the plague and fainting spells.
But why do we celebrate him and seek his guidance in matters of the heart? It is not clear because the history of this saint is so obscure. Many historians assert that this man is actually an aggregation of two different Valentines. One account is that Saint Valentine was the Bishop of Terni and another, that he was a temple priest. Both accounts claim he was beheaded near Rome by order of emperor Claudius II – most likely for helping couples wed.
However, this alone does not make a strong connection to today’s veneration of him. Enter clever medieval English writer and poet Geoffrey Chaucer who wrote in his fourteenth century work “Parliament of Foules,” the poem linking courtly love with February 14th, the date of Saint Valentine’s martyrdom. There is no previous record of romantic celebrations on Valentine’s Day prior to his then widely circulated poem – and it, quite possibly is the reason why we devote this day to lovers.
“For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate, …”
Geoffrey Chaucer
The birds in Chaucer’s poem may explain why Valentine is portrayed with birds and flowers in most depictions of him. Everyone knows that bees are the most important pollinators so if birds and flowers are shown in paintings of the saint it is easy to make the association to bees.
Let us not forget that in the no-so-distant past, parents of adolescents were often asked “have you told him/her about the birds and the bees yet?” Birds, bees, flowers, pollination, procreation, courtly love, ecco Feast of Saint Valentine. Enjoy!
Attributions:
Header Photo: Lawrence OP
Background Information: History.com