The oldest Valentine's Day is an official document of the Church of secc.V-VI, where it appears his death anniversary. Still in sec. VIII another document tells us some details of the martyrdom, torture, decapitation night, the tomb by the disciples Proculo, Efebo and Apollonius, following the martyrdom of these and their burial. Other texts of the century. VI, say that Valentine's Day, national bishop of Terni and the 197 who became famous for the sanctity of his life, charity and humility, and zeal for the apostolate and for the miracles he did, he was invited to Rome by a craton , greek and latin speaker, because the cured the sick child for several years. Healed the young man converted him to Christianity with his family and to the Greek scholars of Latin letters Proculo, Efebo and Apollonius, with his son of the Prefect of the city. Imprisoned under the Emperor Aurelian was off to Rome. February 14 was 273. His body was taken to Terni LXIII mile of the Via Flaminia. He was among the first bishop of Terni, consecrated by the Bishop of Foligno in S. Feliciano 197. Preceded by S. Pellegrino and S. Antimo, brother of SS.Cosmas and Damian.
WORSHIP
Valentine was buried in a cemetery near the present Basilica. It 'sure that cemetery already existed in the pagan age. From this area some of the oldest exhibits date back to the SECC. IV-V. These are securities burial. The most interesting piece is the sarcophagus in the "heads aligned" now preserved in the IVth century Palazzo Carrara. It is the traditional early Christian sarcophagus in which are carved around the figure of the deceased praying, Scenes from the life of Christ. The first basilica was built in IVth century as the location of the building, outside the city walls and cemetery area and over the tomb of the martyr. Destroyed by the Goths, with the city in the sec. VI, was rebuilt in the VII century. In confirmation of this last building was the discovery of a coin of Heraclius of 641. At the time of the first construction or reconstruction of the VII century, probably dates back to the altar to the crypt arcosolium, that is, under an alcove covered with an arch and over the tomb of the martyr. Around the VII century the church was entrusted to the Benedictines. In 742 there occurred the historic meeting between Pope Zacharias departed from Rome to Terni and the old Lombard king Liutprando. The choice of the Basilica of St. Valentine was made by the king because that is revered within the remains of the glorious martyr, which he described the value of miraculous. From that meeting the king gave the pope some Italian cities including Sutri.
Here again, the pope ordered the bishop of Terni, whose death (760) the city was left without the pastor until 1218. In this period URPOSE of the basilica was the first raids of the Normans and Saracens and Hungarians of the inhabitants of Narni boasted that claims to certain territories and the Basilica. Honorius III in 1219 we went to the Basilica and delivered to the local clergy. From this year onwards we no longer know anything about the condition of the Basilica. At the beginning of 1600 had to look dilapidated.
reconnaissance
In 1605 Bishop Giovanni Antonio Onorati, obtained permission from Pope Paul V, he began researching the body of the saint. They had lots of time in Rome the research of the first martyrs of the Church and to authenticate their existence and to enhance the worship. The body of St. Valentine was soon found in a leaden box contained within marble urn rough outside but inside carved with reliefs. The head was separated from the body to confirm death by beheading. She was taken immediately to the Cathedral. No one in town wanted the body of their martyred mother rest in the church. Even the Congregation of Rites was favorable because the relics should be venerated, where they had been buried. So it was decided to build a new basilica.
NEW BASILICA
Work on the construction of the Basilica began in 1606 and lasted a few years but since 1609 this could be officiated by PP.Carmelitani called to preserve it. In 1618 the body of the holy bishop and martyr was solemnly given in its Basilica. In 1625 the Archduke Leopold of Austria, to Rome, visited the Basilica and assumed the costs for the construction of a new marble altar, completed in 1632, pledging to make the Basilica a part of the skull of the Saint given several hundred years to an ancestor. Behind the main altar is the choir with the "confession" Valentine, an altar built over the grave of the martyr. At the center is an oval painting that commemorates the martyrdom of the saint, by the end of the century. XVII. The episode of Duke Leopold provided the occasion for a radical renovation of the temple, carried out thanks to the work of many of Terni. The Basilica occurs in a pattern dear to theorists Counter-around great nave with side chapels, the transept are two large chapels, chancel and behind the altar of the martyr with the "confession." The facade of the seventeenth century is enlivened by pilasters, surmounted by a large portal with a large window. The plaster statues depicting the top of the patron saints of the city and Valentino Anastasio (+649) and were added in the XIX century. The interior is enlivened by large pilasters with Ionic capitals with garlands. These support a lintel protruding serrated. Two side chapels were the property of some families in the city. The most interesting are the chapels of the transept. The right one is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel and was the private chapel of the family Sciamanna. In fact, the sides are the tombs of several members including some Brunoro, bishop of Caserta, who died in 1647. At the center is the beautiful altarpiece with St. Michael defeating the devil of the Roman artist Giuseppe Cesari called the "Cavalier d'Arpino. Exponent of a painting cultured and refined, docile to the demands of the Church, returning to favor clarity of expression and decoration in the depiction of holy figures. This image is a clear revival of classicism of Raphael balance of the pose and attitude determination. The other chapel is dedicated to the holy Carmelite Teresa of Avila. The beautiful central altarpiece depicting the Madonna and Child with SS.Giuseppe artist Lucas and Teresa De La Haye, monaco Carmelite of the second half of the century. XVII. The artist was the main purpose of the decoration of the basilica. In fact, besides this leaves other works including the beautiful central blade with Valentine's Day calls for the protection of the Virgin at Terni and once Adoration of the Shepherds and Adoration of the Magi. Also for the church realizes the paintings with the four evangelists and a series with the Martyrs of Terni (Catulo, Saturninus, Lucius and disciples of the Great Valentino) preserved in the nave. His style is fully Baroque figures covered with luxurious drapes flapping in the wind, soaked a warm color that also suggests an influence on the art of Venetian painting, perhaps filtered by Rubens in Rome. At the center of the choir is a large painting of the Crucifixion where transpire figures imbued with great drama. A final masterpiece can be seen in one of the chapels of the nave. This is a painting of the Madonna and Child with SS. Lawrence, John the Baptist and Bartholomew in 1635 by Andrea Polinori, city of Todi. The inspiration is the artist Caravaggio, but he is able to stabilize and the purification of any aggression.
The environment presents the ancient altar of the crypt to arcosolium (placed in a niche above the barrel-vaulted tomb of the martyr), in which were found the relics of St. Valentine. Some of the findings were gathered in the Valentinian next to the crypt.
LEGEND
The celebration of the bishop and martyr Valentine is linked to ancient celebrations of Greece, Italy and Romania to be held February 15 in honor of the god of bread, the Faun and Lupercus. These celebrations were related to the fields of purification and fertility rites. Become too licentious and ravines, were prohibited by Augustus and then suppressed by Gelasius in 494. The Church Christianized pagan fertility rite that anticipating a day on February 14 giving the martyr ternano the ability to protect their boyfriends and lovers directed to marriage and union cheered by the children. From this incident arose a few legends. The most interesting are those who say the holy martyr, a lover of roses, fragrant flowers that give to engaged couples to wish them a happy marriage. Today, the feast of St. Valentine's Day is celebrated everywhere as Holy Love. The invitation and the strength of which is contained in the message of Valentine's Day must also be considered from other angles as well as the now sole significance of the relationship between man and woman. Love is God himself, and features the man, the image of God resides In Love solidarity and peace, family unity and the entire humanity.
EVENTS
in Terni is the sort Foundation Valentine ", which by the cult of the saint during the entire month of February: There are major initiatives planned for faith and culture, art and science, divertimento.Da show and this year the Association also came "Valentine's Day Festival" sponsored by the City, County, Chamber of Commerce, Diocese, and Consortium Cometa Sviluppumbria Valentinian to organize events in the rest of the year.
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