Uncommon Commentary #392: Massacring St. Valentine's Day

In referring to Saint Valentine’s Day simply as "Valentine's Day", we—that is, you; I don't do it—contribute to the super-secularization of what could once have been called our "culture".  St. Valentine's Day was associated with romantic love as long ago as the age of Chaucer, but until fairly recently it was remembered that the real meaning of this true holiday, i.e., holy day, is that it is the feast of at least one saint named Valentine.  Calling it "Valentine's Day" helps to sustain the impression that "Valentine" refers not to a person who dedicated his life to God but to our practice of giving one another "valentines".