This coming week the Catholic Church is celebrating two special feast days, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, that just so happened to fall on the same day: February 14th.

So, why is Ash Wednesday important? Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season. During this time, we remember how Jesus lived in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights being tempted by the devil. This time symbolizes repentance, death, and rebirth. Also during lent, most Catholics believe in giving something up as a form of fasting, giving back to their community as a form of almsgiving, and attend stations of the cross every Friday, as an extra form of prayer.

In preparation for Ash Wednesday, St. Dominic celebrated its biannual Reconciliation sessions to prepare for the Lenten season. To fully welcome Lent, the school is hosting an all-school Mass on Wednesday. This Mass is celebrated by guest celebrant Father John Brockland, along with our own Father Patrick Russel. 

Modern Valentine’s Day originally was just another Christian feast day following the martyrdom of St. Valentine. It is believed that Valentine healed a judge’s blind daughter, but then was arrested for trying to convert people to Christianity. He was martyred outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14th, sometime between 269 and 280 A.D., which is why we continue to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th.  

The holiday Valentine’s Day was based on a festival called Lupercalia, a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture. During the Middle Ages, France and England believed February 14th to be the beginning of bird mating season, which started the idea of it being symbolization of love. By the 18th century, it became popular for friends and lovers to exchange tokens on the 14th. 

At first glance, these celebrations falling on the same day may seem unimportant. However, they both had the same value at their core, unconditional love. These days take on two different ways of displaying this love. Ash Wednesday is the start of a time of remembrance of the love God shares for us through Him dying on the cross. Valentine’s day is a day of acknowledging the love between family, friends, and especially significant others. Both days are a representation of love within the Church. 

This February 14th, both Ash Wednesday and St. Valentine’s Day, we look forward to celebrating both important days together as a community. We hope to celebrate with you at Mass!