Saint Valentine and
the Irish Connection

by Kat Behling

	A shrine to Saint Valentine in Dublin's Whitefriar Church. The saint's remains are reported buried in the casket shown below the altar.

The month of February has long been associated with love and romance as flowers, cards, candy and gifts are exchanged between sweethearts in the name of St. Valentine, the patron saint of love. But who was this mysterious saint - and why the celebration in his name?

Although there are several versions of the origin of the holiday, one popular legend harkens back to third century Rome where a young priest named Valentine served during that time. When the emperor Claudius II, decided that young single men made better soldiers than those with wives and children, he decided to ban the sacrament of marriage, therefore strengthening his crop of potential soldiers. However, Valentine rebelled against the emperor, continuing to perform marriage ceremonies in secret. Upon discovering the priest’s defiant actions, the emperor was outraged and ordered him imprisoned and put to death. It is believed that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who often visited when the first “Valentine” card was allegedly sent. On the eve of his death, he composed a letter expressing his love for the girl and signed it, “From Your Valentine,” a sentiment still used today.

The Christian church commemorates St. Valentine’s death and burial on his feast day of February 14th. But it was not until the Middle Ages that the day became popularized as a holiday in England and France.

In 1836, Pope Gregory XVI sent a gift to the Carmelite Church in Dublin – it was a small black and gold encrusted casket containing the remains of St. Valentine. The relic had been exhumed from a cemetery in Rome and brought to Dublin, where the casket was ceremoniously enshrined within the church.

	The Claddagh Ring

The Claddagh Ring: The Irish Symbol of Love
The Irish Claddagh Ring is a century’s-old symbol of love, friendship and loyalty. The ring originates from the old Claddagh area in Galway City. Two hands (symbolizing friendship) hold a heart (symbol of love) with a crown on top (symbol of loyalty).

Valentines Day Rituals & Superstitions

• It was believed if a woman encountered a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day it meant she would marry a sailor. If the woman saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man, but be very happy. If it was a goldfinch she saw, her husband would be a man of great wealth and importance.
• If an apple was cut in half, the number of seeds found inside would be an indication of the number of children one would have.
• To be awoken by a kiss on Valentine's Day was considered lucky.
• For a lady to sleep with a sprig of rosemary pinned inside the pillow on the eve of Valentine's Day was thought to encourage dreams of her future sweetheart.
• The tradition of using an "x" to represent a kiss began in the Middle Ages with the practice of allowing those who could not write to sign documents with a simple "x". With the passage of time, the letter "x" used at the end of correspondence came to be synonymous with a kiss.