“Love and do what you will.”
Saint Augustine
In Monselice, less than 20 km far from the AbanoRitz, Saint Valentine is not only the celebration day of lovers, but is actually the patron saint of the town, also known as the healer of epilepsy!
On the 14th of February, rivers of people pour into the street that leads from the center of Monselice up to the sanctuary of the Seven Jubilee Churches and Villa Duodo; but the final destination is the little church next to the Villa, a small sanctuary dedicated to Saint George and to the Madonna of Loreto.
St Valentine’s Day actually has very ancient origins: already in 496, Pope Gelasius I decided to institute it as an antithesis to the Lupercali, a wild pagan fertility festival celebrated by the Romans right in mid-February. It was in some ways a precursor of Carnival, which arrived a few centuries later.
The proper devotion dates back to the 17th century when the Duodo family brought 25 bodies from the Roman catacombs to the church. Among them, one is said to be that of a Valentine from Terni.
In reality, the Saints are said to be two and are often confused with each other, living between Rome and Terni, but some theological scholars think they are even the same person. The link to the love theme comes from the fact that Saint Valentine is said to have spent his life devoting himself to married couples and he was killed for celebrating the marriage of a Christian and a pagan. The other St Valentine, bishop of Passau, in Germany, is remembered on the 7th of January and he is depicted healing an epileptic. Epileptics were seen as possessed by the devil: the custom was to protect them by placing blessed keys around their necks.
On the 14th of February, every year, until sunset, long lines of believers wait to enter the sacred area where the relics of the martyrs are kept. They are welcomed by priests who recite a prayer for children and one for engaged couples, blessing them.
Tradition dictates that, in addition to the prayer, people go to get a devotional souvenir, namely a golden blessed key with the engraving “Saint Valentine”. In order to fluidify the flow of requests, a number of stalls have been organized in the churchyard with volunteers distributing the blessed objects.
Saint Valentine’s Day is next week and Monselice, the city of this Saint, is just a few minutes away from the AbanoRitz: all you have to do is combine business with pleasure and come and visit us! 😉
