From Martyr to Marketing

The modern world has molded Valentine’s Day into a celebration of love and a front for the sale of millions of bags of candy, chocolate, and flowers marketed in pinks, reds, and purples every year for the sake of a so-called holiday. However, since BK is a Catholic school, I decided to do a deep dive into the many Catholic websites and sources on the internet to find the true meaning of Valentine’s Day. Unsurprisingly, all of these corporate scams stem from one thing: murder.

Back in the recent year of 269 A.D, St. Valentine, formerly known as the Bishop of Terni, Narnia (no, not from that book with the huge lion and the Turkish candy) and Amelia was executed after being on house arrest under Claudius Gothicus, the Roman emperor. Although St. Valentine was shrouded in mystery and legend, including one story about restoring the sight of Judge Asterius’ blind daughter and secretly marrying Christian couples in Rome, historians can agree on one fact: St. Valentine was executed on February 14, 269 after refusing to renounce his faith and attempting to convert Claudius Gothicus to Christianity. As of today, he continues to be the saint of love, young people, happy marriages, and beekeepers. Does this mean that this Valentine’s Day you should put bees in that flower bouquet you were planning to give to your significant other? Maybe not. However, it does mean that Valentine’s Day is way more important than many think it is. When looking past corporate candy scams and my nihilistic thinking about being romantically doomed forever, Valentine’s Day has a meaning that is extremely relevant today, especially to us as students of a Catholic school. This is why I propose that all Catholic schools institute a holiday every year on February 14th for students AND teachers, so that we can all enjoy it the way St. Valentine intended: together and without homework.