Love is in the air.

It's Valentine's day.  A time for chocolate (if you're not allergic), flowers (if you're not allergic) and romance (if you're lucky).  Not all of us are in relationships, and not all relationships are the stuff of novels, but it's a day we can all appreciate.  Those who are looking for love can take Valentine's as a symbolic day of hope, of the love that will come their way.  Those who are in love can be thankful for the wonderful feelings they have and the person who inspired those feelings. 

Now on to some history...

St. Valentine's Day honors a saint who, according to legend, married young Christian couples secretly, in defiance of Roman law.  The Nuremburg Chronicle (1493) is the first printed record of this story.  The story further states that Valentinus (the Latin form of the name Valentine) aided Christians who were being persecuted by the state.  He was arrested and befriended emperor Claudius II.  Unfortunately he was sentenced to death after trying to convert Claudius to Christianity.  He is considered a martyr.

In addition to love, lovers, engaged couples, and happy marriages, Valentine is also considered a patron saint of beekeepers, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, plague, travellers, and young people.  Bet you didn't know that.  I sure didn't.  

The source for the above is a website called Catholic.org.  The link is to St. Valentine's page if you would like to do further reading.

Kate