Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's ♥

♥ May your day be filled with love and happiness ♥


I saw these cute little mice on Vickie's blog and, of course, I had to stitch them too!
They are freebies ♥ and can be found here


Do you know the origin of Valentine's Day? Here is the article reprinted from Catholic Online

The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. [Additional evidence that Valentine was a real person: archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine.] Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].

Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."

St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.


So long my friends,
Evalina

12 comments:

  1. I am glad you enjoy the mice too! I love them.♥
    Thanks for the information on Saint Valentine. I often notice, people generally do not notice the SAINT part of Valentine's Day, or St. Patrick's Day, or St. Nicholas Day.

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  2. That freebie is adorable. I am off to download it for myself.

    Happy Valentine's Day!!

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  3. Love your cute mice. I didn't know any of the history of St. Valentine. My sister-in-law is a bee keeper so I sent this on to her.

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  4. Thank you for the lesson, Evalina! I always learn so much from your blog! That's an adorable mouse Valentine, too!

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  5. February 14 is also the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the Apostles to the Slavs.

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  6. Thanks for such an interesting and informative post!

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  7. Wow, thanks for the history of st. Valentine. Always a pleasure reading your blog.

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  8. Those little mice are so cute! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day.

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  9. Thanks for the history. Those little mice are adorable.

    Linda

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  10. Happy Valentine's Evalina!! Thanks for the article!!

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  11. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Thanks for the history behind St. Valentine. I had never heard the full story.
    Love your little mice. Too cute!

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