Stories of Saint Valentine
St Petersburg University and its Representative Office in Barcelona invite you to the online lecture "Stories of Saint Valentine". The lecture will be delivered by Anna Silyunas, a theatre critic, an art historian and Director of the Cultural Foundation ‘Russian House in Barcelona’.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that lovebirds all over the world look forward to. The holiday is over a thousand and a half years old, although love festivals have been popular since ancient times. The ancient Romans celebrated the festival of eroticism and fertility − Lupercalia, ante diem XV Kalendas Martias ("before 15 March", Latin) − which corresponded to 15 February in the modern calendar. The day before, it was customary to honour the Roman goddess of marriage, motherhood and women Juno and the god Pan. How did a pagan holiday turn into a secular one, and did the famous Saint Valentine really exist? Which loving couples have stirred the minds and hearts of many generations and why?
The history of the Feast of all lovebirds dates back to the third century in ancient Rome, in the same era when Christianity began to spread actively. Roman Emperor Claudius II, who ruled at the time, issued a law forbidding young people to marry so that they could join the army. Disagreeing with this law and contrary to the Emperor’s prohibition, a young priest called Valentine began holding secret marriage ceremonies between young loving couples, many of whom had also been converted to Christianity.
When the Emperor found out that the priest had disobeyed his prohibition, he ordered that he be thrown into prison. There, Valentine met an officer who asked the preacher to restore sight to his blind daughter Julia. The priest complied with the officer’s request and the girl, blind from birth, regained her sight. Despite this, the miracle worker was beheaded on 14 February 269. Legend has it that Valentine, in love with Julia, sent the girl a farewell note, signing it: "From your Valentine", hence the famous phrase that is often seen at the end of a love letter is: "From your Valentine". In gratitude, Julia planted an almond tree next to the priest’s grave, with beautiful pink flowers blooming every spring. Since then, the colour of almonds and the image of the almond tree itself have been regarded as symbols of love and lasting friendship.
The meeting will be held online in Russian with simultaneous interpreting into Spanish.