The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919, 1913-02-07
VALENTINE DAY
LONG IN FAVOR
Centuries Have Failed to Dim the
Memory of the Good Old
Saint.
DISPUTE AS TO HIS IDENTITY
At Least Two Bishops of Aneier,
Times Have Been Credited With
the Honor Of Being tho Founder
Of the Day conseerated
to Cupid.

ut. VALENTINE of blessed mem
ory. whose natal day falls upon
~ the 18th of February. seems to
be the saint of this particular
season. His customs, which have sur
vived the lapse of centuries. are as
ISOLATED In our minds with the send
Ing OF various amatory epistles. and
the rather more agreeable gifts and
presents. which are occasionally sent
In the shape of flowers and candies
by the young men and maidens, one
to another.
New York and New Workers still
retain memories Of the saint. who
seems to have been like his associate.
Of the Netherlands. and in this con-
nection we, perhaps on account of our
Dutch ancestry, celebrate his festival
with kettledrum. says the New York
Times. Far back In the mists of an
tiquity lies the origin of the custom
Of sending letters. or valentines. on
the saints day. while the original st.
Valentine would appear to be gifted
with as many lives as the proverbial
cat, or reincarnations under the same
title, for we find two bishops OF the
name, a Virgin martyr, and Tyro-
lean saint. all of whom have authentic
records Of their lives and deaths pre-
served in history. and none of whom
would seem to be In any way con-
nected with the valentines of today.
However, 1t is always possible to
reconcile the two or three, and there
is sufficient evidence to show that st.
Valentine, bishop Of Rome. who died
in 278 A. D., was born on the 14th of
February, and he Is SO set down In
the Roman and Anglican calendars.
He was a martyr to his faith. and
when cast into prison by his enemies
he cured his keepers daughter of
blindness. for which miracle he was
beaten with clubs and then beheaded.
and his remains repose in the Church
st. Praxades. at Rome, while a gate
now known as the Porto Popolo was
formerly called by the name of st.
Valentine, or Porto Valentino.
Another Valentine. also a Bishop,
claims a share In the day. and his
claim to saintship rests upon the cure
OF the son of Grafton. the Rhetorician.
His death was caused by choking on
a fishbone, whether Of his own choos'
ing or administered by his enemies
the legend does not state. but in Italy
and Greece they pray to this saint to
cure them from epilepsy.
The st. Valentine Of Tyrol. who
seems to have been born little later
and who died in the fourth century,
has a church conscrated to his mem
DRY in South Tyroi. at Meran. where
he Is supposed to have preached
Christianity to the heather Lombards
In the legend he appears as beauti-
full youth attifed In the dress Of Ro-
man soldier bearing a cross on hi.
sword hilt, and coming over the noun
tains from Italy; entering Meran. In
what Is now known as Tyrol. he en-.
counters the heather priest Of the
temple, and after long argument
with him. he calls upon his gods to
destroy the temple.
The heathenN and the priest are al
struck dumb by his threats. and when
with one blow he pushes down the
pillars Of the temple. like Samson
they rush forth in horror. expecting
him to be destroyed under the fall
ing walls. Instead of which st. Val
entine kneels unhurt, with a seraphie
look upon his face, while the wrath
OF their god 10 not shown by the
fierce wind and tempest which they
expect, and quantities Of doves and
birds alight upon the neighborins
trees in peaceful nocks. st. valen
tine Immediately after this miracle
marries the flrst heather couple and
performs the first marriage ceremony