bust my heart with love

From Schmidt & Weston blog

he only concession I'm giving Valentine's day is this photo of some street art in a Montréal back alley. It mentions love, heart, bust, and has a pretty drawing of a lady.

The sad truth is that St. Valentine is no longer a saint. Back in 1969, the Pope took him off the list of catholic saints. It was a rough year for organized religion with all the drugs, music and 'freedom'. The Pope was probably in a pretty bad mood much of that year.

Turns out Mr. Valentine probably didn't exist at all. But the story that started the legend went as such:

He was a christian priest that got caught marrying a couple in Rome when christians were considered highly annoying and illegal. He did manage to become a star prisoner and eventually befriended Emperor Claudius.

However, much like the Jehovah Witnesses that showed up at my door a couple of weeks ago, Valentine wouldn't shut up about the Baby Jesus and kept on asking if Claudius had read the bible.

Now I didn't beat the JWs with sticks and stones, despite comments that might have driven me in that direction ("oh you're one of those." in response to me saying that I don't think the bible is full of facts, but some good ideas along with some really bad advice). Emperor Claudius didn't have my restraint. Valentine got beaten, stoned and then beheaded.

And that is the day we are meant to celebrate by spending money on flowers and chocolate - all for a non-exisitant saint with a story fabricated in fourteenth century England. Nice try Geoffrey Chaucer.