medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear Pat,
Further to Gordon's reply to your query, I thought I would send along a part of the brief entry on Valentine that I contributed to Phyllis's monumental three-volume encyclopedia, *Holy People of the World: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia* (ABC-Clio, 2004); I hope that Phyllis and ABC-Clio don't mind that I do so!
***
There are at least nineteen saints with this name, and several of their received biographies and cults share a number of common elements. Ultimately, however, two of them may be seen to vie for being identified as ‘the’ Saint Valentine celebrated on 14 February: one of them of Rome, the other of the central Italian city of Terni. Scholars have generally agreed that the Roman Valentine is in fact the donor of a basilica outside Rome, and not its holy dedicatee. The Valentine identified with Terni is a martyr of the second or third century; from about the sixth century onward, he is described as being a local bishop. The earliest martyrology that describes this saint declares he went to Rome in order to heal a crippled boy, whereupon he was arrested by the prefect Placidus who demanded he worship idols; upon refusing, Valentine was decapitated. His body was taken first to a place near Terni, and in the early seventeenth century was translated into the local cathedral. Many other places (including Glasgow and Dublin) claim to possess his relics.
Over the years, many legends have grown from these basic details. Of them, the ones that are most often repeated relate that Valentine took particular pastoral care of young people, and especially of lovers. The association of the theme of love and the feast day of 14 February may well be due to the earlier pagan festival of Lupercalia, held on that day; it is assumed by many that Christians sought to replace this old cult with one that was identifiably Christian, resulting in a feast with obvious ties to the celebration of love. Such an association between love and the feast of Valentine may also be found in the folkloric belief, in medieval France and England, that birds begin their annual mating on 14 February. It is no surprise, then, that the earliest supposed ‘Valentine’ should date from this time and area: a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife in 1415, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
***
For the bibliography, I will refer you to the published edition ( for details of which, see http://www.abc-clio.com/products/overview.aspx?productid=108844 ).
Best wishes, George
--
George Ferzoco
University of Leicester
University Road
LEICESTER LE1 7RH
UNITED KINGDOM
tel +44 (0)116 252 2654
fax +44 (0)116 252 3633
e-mail [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture on behalf of Patricia Cullum
Sent: Wed 2006-02-08 09:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] St Valentine
Help!
The publicity person at my institution has decreed that I will
demonstrate the University's expertise by writing a short piece on St
Valentine for the local press - by tomorrow. I have already discovered
that there were several St Valentines and am about to have a burrow
through Phyllis's previous postings but would be grateful for anything
anyone knows about any of these saints. I can do the late medieval stuff
and why it is entirely an accident that St Valentine is associated with
love, but would be interested if there is any evidence of an early
cultus, or indeed of a surviving cult that is separate from the annual
love fest.
With thanks in advance, and am happy to post a copy of whatever I come
up with.
Dr Pat Cullum,
Head of History,
University of Huddersfield,
Huddersfield.
HD1 3DH
Tel. (01484) 472315
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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