SWEET LIKE CHOCOLATE
From the ancient legends of Terni to modern boxes of chocolates, discover how the patron saint of lovers has united his name with the sweetness of chocolate, creating an eternal symbol of passion.
Friends:
Recently, I was driving through Terni in Umbria, caught between its industrial heart and the rolling, green hills that frame the city, as the delicious scent of chocolate wafted out from a locally visited pasticceria. Afterward, as I walked the town's narrow streets looking for an afternoon Aperol spritzer, it reminded me that this region, though perhaps less renowned than Perugia for sweets, holds its own when speaking of Italy's love affair with cacao. The thought followed me to the Basilica of Saint Valentine, the city's patron and symbol of love. Standing before its sacred architecture, and with few hours to kill, I felt drawn to the bond of chocolate, romance, and history as an invitation I couldn't miss-one that called to take pen to paper. So, here I am!
The Basilica of San Valentino, above image, stands just outside the old town center of Terni, on the site of an ancient Christian cemetery where St Valentine was buried. He was the city's first bishop and a martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. The patron saint of lovers is celebrated worldwide on February 14.
The first church dedicated to his worship was the site of the historic meeting in 742 AD between Pope Zachary and the old King of the Lombards Liutprand, a passionate upholder of the miraculous power of the martyr, whose remains were already venerated at this site. Ceded to the Benedictines between the 8th and 13th centuries, the Basilica suffered the fate of the city of Terni, which was subjected to raids, looting, and destruction.
Once upon a time, in a distant era, the city of Terni in ancient Rome shone as a beacon of peace and prosperity.
Among its cobbled streets and majestic temples lived a young priest named Valentine, renowned for his kindness, wisdom, and boundless love for others. Valentine devoted his life to uplifting the poor, healing the sick, and inspiring a powerful message of love and brotherhood.
Emperor Claudius II banned marriages between young soldiers then, believing that single men were more dedicated to war and less attached to their families. But Valentine, convinced that love was a gift from God secretly continued to celebrate marriages for couples in love. Every night, under the moonlight, he went to hidden places to unite the hearts of those who wanted to share their lives.
One day, Valentine came across a young lovers' couple, Marco and Lucia, who were very much in love but despairing because they couldn't get married owing to the imperial decree. Valentino, touched by their love, chose to help them. He took them to a secret cavern, where he united them in wedlock under the compassionate eye of nature. As a gift for their wedding, Valentino gave them a little wooden chest with an unusually dark and scented material: it was chocolate, a valuable and exotic present imported from faraway countries.
Chocolate was a rarity in Europe at that time. It came from the distant lands of the Aztecs, where it was considered the food of the gods. Valentino had received it from a traveling merchant who gave him some cocoa beans in exchange for a prayer. Valentino had learned to work them, creating a warm, sweet drink that seemed to instill joy and comfort in anyone who drank it.
While sipping the hot chocolate, Marco and Lucia felt their love warm even more. That simple but profound gesture became the symbol of their bond, and from that day on, chocolate became an indelible memory of their love and the priest who had brought them together.
However, Valentine's actions did not go unnoticed. After learning of the secret marriages, Claudius II ordered the priest's arrest. Valentine was jailed and condemned to death. Yet even in jail, his spirit didn't give up. It's said that in his final days, Valentine received many visits from young lovers, who came bringing flowers and love messages. Marco and Lucia were among them, bringing him a cup of hot chocolate made with affection and appreciation.
Before his death, Valentine penned a love letter to the jailer's daughter, a young blind girl who had regained her sight due to his prayers.
He signed it: "From your Valentine." This expression subsequently became the emblem of lovers everywhere.
After his passing, Valentine was declared a saint, and his feast day, February 14, became the day of love. But the chocolate legend never died. It is told that every Valentine's night, the ghosts of Marco and Lucia still visit the cave where they were married to sip a cup of hot chocolate and honor their everlasting love.
Over time, chocolate evolved as the ultimate symbol of passion and love. Individuals started gifting one another heart-shaped chocolates, chocolate boxes wrapped in red ribbons, and love letters penned on perfumed paper. Every morsel of chocolate appeared to carry a portion of Valentine's Day magic, a delectable and unforgettable testament to love's power.
And so, to this day, every February 14, when couples share chocolates and flowers, the spirit of Valentine's Day lives on, reminding all that love is the best gift we can give and receive. Chocolate, sweet and warm as it is, remains the ideal representation of this timeless sentiment.
Wherever you are, Happy Valentine's!