At least, that is what we were taught in Catholic school. Despite no longer being Catholic (which I don't want to dwell on), I still think some of the stories about the saints were pretty cool.
Basically, St. Valentine was beheaded by Claudius after refusing to stop performing marriages for young men and women, whom Claudius thought would be more likely to go to war for him if they did not have romantic partners.
Another thing believed about him is that he gave a note about loving God to a young blind daughter of a jailer he prayed with before his beheading, the prayers eventually healing her blindness. That's where Hallmark cards come from, I guess.
There's at least one part of this story I find dubious, and there are disputes about who St. Valentine was and what he did, but it's still a better story than "the gift card companies made it up." When you read "still a better story than," I bet you thought I'd end that sentence with something else. Stop thinking about and referencing that something else, if you did. It'll make it disappear from our culture sooner.
Give this man a better holiday
I realize these BaD blogs were supposed to be complaints-themed, but I honestly don't care about Valentine's now that I'm no longer on a waitstaff. I never had anything for or against Valentine's, aside from the hell that is a restaurant on the day, and I'm one of the few people that like those chalk-flavored candy hearts. It's just kind of a regular day for me, but involved more cards and candy in middle school, and now it doesn't. I'm sure it made me feel shitty back then, but as a much more secure adult? Eh.
Speaking of complaints, what should I complain about on Monday?
Well, that's something I didn't know before now.
The original St. Valentine story is so much better to celebrate than cards, chocolate and consumerism day.
It might make sense to make a Saint Valentine's chocolate thing like they have for Easter bunnies, and encourage everyone to eat the head first.
Interesting read about St. Valentine. I guess celebrating his act of marrying folks turned into give out candy and flowers.
I think we should give out only the heads of Easter bunnies to commemorate his death.
that's the one thing that cracked me up when it came to VD. No one hardly knew the origins of the holiday to begin with. and I thought we were all for origin stories.
St. Valentine would make a good movie subject. My mom keeps pressing me to make such a movie about the Saints if I make it in the business. I wouldn't mind one over him.
On a related note, that Noah movie looks intriguing.
I'll say. It's starting to look like the funniest comedy of the year. Or as about as silly as that old NBC miniseries that did the Noah's Ark thing long ago.
Either way I'm going to have to re-read the story of Noah again. I don't recall there being rock giants and people trying to sieze the ark like a bunch of pirates. Artistic liberties taken indeed! but I shouldn't speak of out turn, it's been awhile after all.