Today is the death anniversary of St. Valentine who died in 312. Not much is known of this Christian saint except that we are told he was martyred for this faith on this date. The reason for this day being a symbol of romantic love is because in Europe, this is the time of year when birds pair up for their nesting season. With this falling around the same time as St. Valentine's Day, people began to associate the pairing up (romance) of birds with the already established St. Valentine's Day date. And this is why this is a big day for Hallmark.
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So on this day, we have two meanings of the word, love. We have the romantic, cuddling, pairing up kind of love. And thanks to St. Valentine, we have the deeper kind of love, a sacrificial love, the kind of love that led Jesus Christ to die on a cross for the world.
St. Valentine's Day Prayer:
Almighty and everlasting God, who kindled the flame of your Love in the heart of your holy martyr Valentine: Grant to us, your humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in his triumph may profit by his example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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