Happy Valentine's Day!

February 14, Valentine's Day, is the day of lovers. It's time to celebrate love. February 14 is St. Valentino and what better day to dedicate gifts and sweet phrases with your partner or comrade. Valentine, who the popular tradition continues to remember on the 14th, was a legendary bishop of Terni, where he would suffer martyrdom in the year 291. February 14, 2023 is the holiday dedicated to lovers and celebrated in most of the world (especially in Europe, the Americas and the Far East). A gift, a bouquet of flowers, a dinner, but also a nice message of greetings does not hurt. Couples are in fibrillation to celebrate this anniversary: today will be the day of gifts, chocolates, roses, jewelry, dinners but also greetings!

Saint Valentine was born in 176 AD in Interamna Nahars, in ancient Terni, Umbria and was ordained Bishop by San Feliciano di Foligno in 197, when he was only 21 years old. In 270 he was called to Rome, at the invitation of the Greek and Latin philosopher and orator Craton, where he preached the Gospel, converting many pagans, thanks also to his eloquent oratory. It is said that when he spoke "everyone hung from his lips that knew how to open their hearts even to the most hardened pagans in vices". He was much loved and respected by the people, given his special attention to children, the sick and young people, who often went to ask him for advice. He died beheaded at the age of 97, in the year 273, after being scourged outside the walls of Rome, along the Via Flaminia, because of the persecutions against Christians under Emperor Aurelian.

Many miracles performed by the Saint, as well as many are the folk tales handed down over the centuries, for example, the one according to which he gave sight to the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius when he was captured and put in prison for the first time on the orders of Emperor Claudius II the Gothic. Another important miracle dates back to 225 AD and is the healing of a slave on his deathbed. After this miracle his brother, Fonteyo Triburzio, took service at the house of Craton in Rome.San Valentino, as well as patron saint of lovers, is the protector of animals, citrus groves, epileptics. In Monselice, in Veneto, epilepsy, not surprisingly, is called "Mal de San Valentin". Sick people of all kinds regularly went to his home asking for prayers for healing (healings that often took place); It is said that everyone entered his house in pain and came out comforted and strengthened in spirit. What the Saint did, in fact, was to invite people to give praise and thanks to God, insisting on faith, the only means by which, he said, it is possible to heal. His association with lovers, then, refers precisely to his long ministry. Throughout his life, in fact, the Saint paid particular attention to young people and families, whom he welcomed into his beautiful flower garden, giving everyone advice and support. Valentine constantly repeated: "God loves us and we must give him back this love, loving our neighbor as he loved us".

"Love is like an hourglass: when you fill the heart, you empty your brain" (Jules Renard)