St VALENTINE’S DAY: THE CAUSE OF LOVE CELEBRATION

By YUNUS, ABDULWAKEEL O.

The approaching and celebration of St. Valentine’s day  on 14th February of every year always widespread on the earth and overwhelms the living souls immediately the almanac reads 15th January of the year. Enthusiastically, everyone wishes, and thinks about what to present to someone as a signal of falling in love or showing love to lovers- especially, female counterparts; While sometimes, brings about controversial issues among people particularly in  Nigeria.

Meanwhile, questions, which rigorously need vigorous answers are that: why is it centered at February 14? Why not any day in the month? In fact, 1st January would have been better to celebrate it, so far, it is the first day of the new calendar year, and of course, the first month of the year. Why then February 14? What is the significant relationship between February 14 and showing or celebrating love?

Etymologically, Valentine could be traced back to Roman empire. Saint Valentine’s Day also called the Feast of St. Valentine- the celebration of love and affection. Contrastingly, it is being celebrated in different days by different Churches. Western Christian church February 6, July 6 was fixed by the Eastern Orthodox Church, and as well July 30 by Eastern Orthodox Church. These aforementioned Churches chose different days as a result of having an axe to grind.

Moreover, Saint Valentine’s Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church. Many parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrate Saint Valentine’s day, albeit, on July 6 and July 30; the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine and the latter date in honor of hieromartyr Valentine- the bishop of Interamna.

Now, the question is that:  is Valentine a god of love in a shrine or a typical human being like you and me?  This has generated a numberless controversies and skirmishes between groups of people, particularly in Nigeria; mayhap, between Muslims and Christians or in between. Valentine is a name of somebody like you and me. In other words, he was a typical human being. But as a result of his kindhearted, salvation of sacrilege, and speakable legend in the sphere of love metamorphosed him to be a god of love in the shrine, ergo, worship him every year. He is a god as we have in Nigeria, particularly in Yoruba land, wherein, we have god of iron (Ogun) god of thunder (sango) to mention but a few, as  some people worship them.
Valentine, according to history, was born on 226AD. He was considered as a pure and sacred Christian- hence, we was referred as Saint Valentine. Legend has it that he used his purification and infallible to set free some people and converted them to Christians.

Among his noticeable and speakable miraculous deeds was that he restored sight to the blind child- the daughter of his jailer,  Asterious. The storylines: “St Valentine laying his hand upon her eyes, said in prayers, ‘O Thou who art the true light, give light to this Thy servant.’ Instantly, sight was restored to the blind child. Asterious and his wife faling at the feet of Valentine, prayed that they might be admitted into the Christian fellowship; whereupon St Valentine commanded them to break their idols, to fast for three days, to forgive their enemies, and to be baptised. All what saint asked them to do were sincerely done, therefore, they were baptised and all their households to the number of forty six.”- Les Petis Bollandiste, vol. 11, pp 510,511.

Another recognizable and credible deeds that St Valentine did, was that, he performed clandestine Christian weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. The Roman Emperor Claudius 11 supposedly disallowed this, in order to grow his army, believing that, married men did not make for good soldiers. According to legend, in order ” to remind these men of their vows and God’s love, Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment” giving them to these soldiers and persecuted Christians, a possible origin of the widespread use of heart on St Valentine’s Day.

Meanwhile, St Valentine was executed and beheaded on February 14 as the aftermath of his adamant to comply with Roman Emperor Claudius 11 to convert him(Valentine) to paganism. Hence, his execution was ordered on February 14, 269 as he was clubbed to his last breath. But before his execution, he wrote a letter to his love, Julia- the daughter of Asterious ( the judge) signed “Your Valentine” as a farewell. He was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14.

Ever since then, it had been a custom  and tradition of Anglican communion to send a love gift to their significant others; as has been modernised and series of gitfs are given on this day. Albeit, it is being launched diatribe by some regions and religions, considered it as a satanic and sordid act. Many countries in the world celebrate it without criticism but rather promoting it, though with different ways and methods. By that, series of gifts are being exchanged to show affection and admiration. Among the countries are: United States, Latin America, China, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, south Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Ireland,  Finland, Estonia, France, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Scandinavia, Spain among others.

Interestingly, some Islamic countries like Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia initially antagonised and bitterly criticised it. For example, Saudi Arabia, in 2002 and 2008, religious police banned the sale of all Valentine’s Day items, telling shop workers to remove any red item because the day is considered a Christian holiday. This ban created a black market for rose and wrapping paper. In 2012, the religious police arrested more than 140 Muslims for celebrating the holiday and confiscated all red roses from flower shops. Consequently, Muslims are not allowed to celebrate the holiday but non-Muslims can celebrate it only behind the doors. “Saudi cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Al- Arifi said on Valentine’s Day, Eve that celebrating this holiday constitutes Bid’a- a forbidden innovation and devotion from religious law and custom-and mimicry of the West.” However, in 2017 and 2018, after a fatwa was widely and wildly circulated, the religious police did not prevent or arrest Muslims from celebrating the day.

In Nigeria, an extremist of barbaric acts nation, it has been abused as numerous Nigerians use it to promote and propagate fornication, adultery and disgusting acts. While some speak against it that one can show love to his/her lawful love at any time,  any day.

All in all, it is a worship of idol like those worship god of iron(Ogun), Sango(god of thunder) et cetera. As a matter of fact, why must it be celebrated if truly your religion and ways of worship understand you – both Muslims and Christians?

Reference:
Wikipedia: last edited on 8 February,2019, at 17:33.