Letter to the Parish
as printed in our Parish Magazine

This month the shops will fill with red roses, romantic cards, heart-shaped balloons and delicious chocolates as lovers express their love for each other. Valentine’s Day is named after St Valentine, an early Christian martyr who lived in Rome. The day was established to commemorate his life by Pope Gelasius in 469, but at that time had no romantic overtones. The day first developed links with romance during the middle ages when courtly love was being written about by authors such as Chaucer. The theme developed over the years and is even mentioned by Ophelia in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’.

The sending of Valentine’s cards expanded during the Victorian era and has grown to such an extent that each year around 25 million cards are sent world-wide.

So what is it about Valentine’s Day that touches so many hearts? Love is vital to us all – we all need to be loved. And so many novels, films, songs testify to the fact that love is a basic human need.

Christians believe that we have been created out of God’s great love for us – that God loves each one of us and longs for us to know that love and to return that love.

‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ John 3: 16.

So enjoy Valentine’s day – but also know that you are loved by God.

With love