Terry's Thoughts on St. Valentine's Day
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| The Skull of St. Valentine |
This holy relic can be paid homage to in the Church of Santa Maria Cosmedin in Rome. I paid homage to the little niche it sits in when I visited Rome and was struck by how small the man's head was… ‘course the height of the average male in that era was about 5’5”...
As with so many of the Catholic church's relics, there are numerous parts of Valentine's skeletal remains floating around. Don't forget: two churches claim to possess the skull of the apostle Paul, and one even claims to have the skull of the apostle "as a boy!" And so, there is "a fragment of Valentine's skull" in a silver reliquary in the parish church of St. Mary's Assumption in Chełmno, Poland.
I'm not sure why Poland would have been on Valentine's itinerary nor why he left a mere piece of his head there. Granted, I've visited a few pubs wherein I later felt, quite painfully in fact, that I'd left a bit of my head in the establishment's backroom. But, I digress…returning to my Valentine summation: 
Either a priest or bishop -- no one seems certain,
although one would think the man's actual title would be something the church could get straight, but apparently it’s difficult to weed out the legends about him from actual fact -- Valentine lived in the imperial city of Rome and defied its laws prohibiting the practice of other religions other than the official state religion of Rome. Legends abound about all those he evangelized to, converted, and even performed healing miracles upon (the blind, a few epileptics, to name a few).
although one would think the man's actual title would be something the church could get straight, but apparently it’s difficult to weed out the legends about him from actual fact -- Valentine lived in the imperial city of Rome and defied its laws prohibiting the practice of other religions other than the official state religion of Rome. Legends abound about all those he evangelized to, converted, and even performed healing miracles upon (the blind, a few epileptics, to name a few).
It was his brave attempt (or foolish attempt...depending on your logic or your thoughts on suicide) to convert the Roman emperor Claudius Gothicus (yes, by this time the Goths had assumed power in the western part of the Roman empire) that led to his end.
When he was ordered to renounce the Christian superstition that claimed there was only one god, he refused, and he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on – you guessed it, February 14, in the year 269.
Given the multiple alterations to the Roman calendar since that time, on the calendar we use today that would have occurred on Feb. 22. But why quibble about facts such as these. Legends and Love make blind men of us all. Blissfully proceed with today's commemoration of an execution, everyone!
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as always,
Enjoy looking through my Library
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Terry’s “Good Living” Guide:
Body:
Avoid the 3 PsBsSs
Processed Foods, Phthalates, Plastics;
Beef, Butter, Breads;
Avoid the 3 PsBsSs
Processed Foods, Phthalates, Plastics;
Beef, Butter, Breads;
Sedentary activities, Sugars, Salt.
Trust me,
you’ll be feeling better in no time!
you’ll be feeling better in no time!
Mind & Spirit:
Avoid the 3 F’s
Avoid the 3 F’s
Manufactured in these mediums are
misinformation, fear, anger and hate!
misinformation, fear, anger and hate!
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