by Christianna Garrett-Martin

Created on: February 06, 2008

- RELEVANCE IS AS RELEVANCE DOES. -

- THE RELEVANCE OF VALENTINES DAY. -

Relevant to who? It's all according to context really. St. Valentines day represents love, and lovers, but I think it's also a day when there is a 'feeling' in the air, a bit like a Christmas. Valentines day evokes an atmosphere, and a goodwill feeling, so it's not entirely true that the day is only for lovers. Because "The whole world loves a lover", as the saying goes. So it is also for the observer of love as well. -

The true spirit, and tradition of St Valentines day is to show your appreciation to the one you love, and to give a token of that love in the form of a gift, as in flowers, an item of jewelry, or chocolates. That gesture is recognizing and validating that love. I suppose another reason that it is relevant is that, the day itself was initially denoted to honor and remember St. Valentine, who died in the cause of love. He was a priest in 269 A.D and the cruel Emporer Claudius who was in reign at the time, banned all the young men from becoming engaged, or married, so that they were free to join his army, to increase his numbers.

St. Valentine still continued to marry couples in secret ceremonies, because he believed people in love should be allowed the freedom to marry. He became a martyr to his cause and spent most of his life in prison, after he was caught. He died on February on 14th, 269 A.D. Later in 496 A.D Pope Gelasius designated February 14th, a day that St. Valentines name should be remembered, and honored.

When St. Valentine was in prison, the prison guards daughter befriended him, and shortly before he died, he left her a note, and signed it " From your Valentine". During his time in jail, many people gathered outside his window and threw flowers up to him, as a message to say that they still believed in love, and to show their admiration for him.

So the relevance of the gifts, flowers, and notes, now commercialized into greetings cards, given on Valentines day, came from the initial flower throwing for St. Valentine whilst he was in prison, and the relevance of St Valentines day denoting love, comes from the ideals and beliefs that the he as a priest, and a man, believed in. -

Valentines day is relevant to different people in different ways. To a lover, or someone in love this will be a very special day, when love can be affirmed somewhat by the recognizing of it on this day. A celebration of the love that you feel for one another.

To the economy and commercialism,

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