Valentine’s Day is the time of year most known for flowers, love letters, chocolates, and single people being more aware of their relationship status. What began as a holy day on the Roman Catholic Church’s calendar has taken a life all its own as a secular observance centered on romance. But there are many interesting facts about Saint Valentine, the holiday as it’s practiced, and one horrifyingly violent massacre that took place on the holiday that you might not know about.
1. St. Valentine, the men
While commonly thought of as one person, the stories surrounding Saint Valentine were likely based upon the lives of multiple early Christians with the name Valentine. The Rev. Michael G. Witczak of The Catholic University of America explained that there “are several St. Valentines.”
“One was a bishop, another one was a priest and physician in Rome who was known for sending letters of encouragement to stay faithful,” Witczak said. Speculation regarding the historical Valentine fueled the decision to remove Valentine from the “General Calendar” of the Catholic Church decades ago, he explained. “However, St. Valentine is still included in the Roman Martyrology (latest edition 2004), and may be included in the calendar of particular churches or dioceses of religious orders.”
2. Love and epilepsy
While most commonly identified with the day of romance and noted by the Catholic Church as the patron saint of lovers, St. Valentine actually has other official titles in Catholic tradition. One of the lesser-known things credited to St. Valentine is that of the title of the patron saint of epilepsy. There are differing accounts as to how the saint got associated with the illness. “Some accounts suggest he is connected to epilepsy because the name Valentine is similar to the German word for ‘fallen.’ Epilepsy was once known as the ‘falling sickness’ because some seizures caused a person to lose consciousness and fall,” according to the Epilepsy Foundation. “Still, other legends propose that a third century bishop named Valentine von Terni freed the son of a Roman orator from an epileptic seizure.”
3. The massacre
Valentine’s Day has never been totally disconnected from violence. After all, the date marks the anniversary of when St. Valentine was beheaded for his faith. On Feb. 14, 1929, the date became synonymous with one of the most violent episodes in the history of organized crime: the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. Hit men believed to have been working for Al Capone murdered seven men in a warehouse, six of whom worked for Capone’s rival George “Bugs” Moran.
4. Billions in business
Love is big business for many retailers, as Valentine’s Day is a holiday often involving purchase of flowers, chocolates, an evening out and movie tickets, among other things. In a press release from earlier this month, the National Retail Federation estimated that Americans will spend approximately $18.2 billion on various gifts and other items for Valentine’s Day. “This is one day of the year when millions find a way to show their loved ones they care regardless of their budget,” noted NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Consumers will find that retailers recognize that their customers are looking for the best deals and will offer good bargains just as they did during the holiday season.”