A comment on my post from February 14 informed me that:

I am sorry to say that the image you posted that you think portrays the Western saint Valentine of Rome IS NOT! The image is in fact St Valentin. St Valentin Svetitsky one of the many New Russian Martyrs under the Bolsheviks. It is the only icon like it in which our monastery had commissioned many years ago by a local iconographer Gregory Melnick. We, the Orthodox Hermits of St. John the Divine, request that you honor the Russian Saint by removing it from the internet.

So, given that Father Symeon has gone to all the trouble of contacting me (and presumably others) I’ve taken down the offending image. The page to which he links refers to St Valentine, which contrasts slightly with his comment above. Hopefully I’ve got it right.
Instead here’s a link which was provided where you can find a bit about someone who gave his life up in the name of Jesus under Bolshevik oppression.
It’s an insight into the persecution which those in the eastern church endured during the twentieth century.

http://hermitage-journal.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/new-martyr-valentine-sventitsky.html

2 thoughts on “Apologies To The 20th Century Saint Valentine

  1. Sbyvl's avatar Sbyvl says:

    This particular priest contacted me as well. It appears to me that he is contacting every Catholic/Protestant blog that mentioned Saint Valentine.

    1. Gary Ware's avatar Gary Ware says:

      I wondered if that was the case.
      Given that it’s a month later it must be a big job.

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