I hate Saint Valentine’s Day. Not for the reason you think though. The story of Saint Valentine is actually quite impressive. To quote Wikipedia
What is this shit?
“The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in the Nuremberg Chronicle, (1493); alongside the woodcut portrait of Valentine the text states that he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II, known as Claudius Gothicus. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner — until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor — whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn’t finish him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate. Various dates are given for the martyrdom or martyrdoms: 269, 270, or 273.”
So Valentine was a marriage activist? Now that’s a saint I can get behind (and on). So what happened? Somewhere along the line, this marriage radical became co-opted as a symbol of trashy heterosexual sentimentality and the rose and chocolate industry. Fuck that. I’m over tired sentimentality. I want to celebrate love that is radical, anti-authoritarian and unbeliavabley hot.
Photo via http://www.bastardlife.com
Love is… not being a sad sack of shit for the rest of your life, it’s a riot and a celebration and it’s like standing in the face of storm not caring if you get wet. If it’s not, you’ve settled. So this Valentine’s Day, take a leaf out of the old saint’s book and do something different and radical. Do something to proclaim your love that will upset people; because some people need to be reminded that it’s not their relationship, it’s yours.
After that, treat yourself (and your special friend!) to some uber hot Tom of Finland style sexcapades. God knows you’ve earnt it.
Twitter
Facebook
I tend to go ‘bah humbug’ with Valentine’s day. It’s yet another Yankee promoted shopping fest. According to this site, http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/243409/st-valentine-patron-love-lover-and-friendship
Valentine was marrying people because the Emperor had put a ban on marriage for military reasons. Valentine was marrying Christians because “He believed that people needed to get married so that they would not be tempted to sin by living together without the sacrament of matrimony.”
I think I’d prefer to succumb to temptation but I actually think it’s a pious fiction probably of medieval invention. Valentine was just a martyr’s name when his feast was instituted back in 496, someone who’s deeds were only ‘known by God’. Everything else has been invented since
So this Valentine’s day I’ll celebrate the Year of the Tiger instead
How fashion forward of you Michael!
Be a tiger!
Rowr!
Josh and I have pretty much stopped celebrating Valentine’s Day, but for a different reason. Basically we don’t like any holiday that excludes people, and the way Valentine’s Day is celebrated it seems to only celebrate romantic love, which leaves a lot of people out and makes a lot of people feel bad. We couldn’t in good conscience participate in that.
When they rebrand Valentine’s Day as a day in which we celebrate the love we have for ourselves, our friends, our families, AND our significant others, we’ll reconsider. Until then, I’m leaving the heart-shaped boxes of chocolates in the store.