Saint Valentine's Day

Those who attend the traditional Latin Mass and follow the 1962 calendar observe the commemoration of Saint Valentine today.  (To our novus ordo friends, don't forget to buy your wives and girlfriends Saints Cyril and Methodius cards and flowers today.)

Holy Mass is the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, the second of the 40 days in Lent (the 40 day calculation excludes Sundays of course).  A second collect, secret and postcommunion commemorating Saint Valentine, priest and martyr, is said at TLMs.

Saint Valentine, who was martyred around 269 and buried on the Via Flaminia in Rome, had a basilica constructed in his name less than 100 years after his death.  Saint Augustine of Hippo delivered a brief sermon on Saint Valentine (Sermo 44 de Sanctis), focusing not on love or charity, but on patience.

HOMILIA SANCTI AUGUSTINI, EPISCOPI

SANCTI VALENTINI, PRESBYTERI ET MARTYRIS

     Triumphalis beati Martyris Valentini dies hodie nobis anniversaria celebritate recurrit; cujus glorificationi sicut congaudet Ecclesia, sic ejus proponit sequenda vestigia.  Si enim compatimur, et conglorificabimur.

     In cujus glorioso agone duo nobis praecipue consideranda sunt: indurata videlicet tortoris saevitia, et Martyris invicta patientia.  Saevitia tortoris, ut eam detestemur; patientia Martyris, ut eam imitemur.

     Audi Psalmistam adversus malitiam increpantem:  Noli aemulare in malignantibus, quoniam tamquam foenum velociter arescent.  Quod autem adversus malignantes patientia exhibenda sit, audi Apostolum suadentem:  Patientia vobis necessaria est, ut reportetis promissiones.

HOMILY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, BISHOP

SAINT VALENTINE, PRIEST AND MARTYR

     The day of triumph of the blessed Martyr Valentine returns to us today in its yearly celebration.  As the Church rejoices in his glorification, so it proposes that his footsteps be followed.  For if we suffer together, we shall also be glorified together.

     In his glorious struggle two things must particularly be considered by us, namely, the brutality of his torture and the undefeated patience of the Martyr:  the savageness of his torture, that we may censure it; the patience of the Martyr, that we may imitate it.

     Heed the Psalmist railing against evilness:  "Do not imitate those doing evil, since they quickly dry up like hay."  Heed the Apostle urging that patience must be extended to those doing evil: "Patience is necessary for us, that we may earn the promises [of salvation]."