The Catholic Church is advising lovelorn singles to direct their 14/02 requests for love to St Raphael, rather than St Valentine.
Over the years St Valentine has come incorrectly to be associated with finding love, the Church says. He is the patron saint for those who have already found their soulmate. St Raphael is the patron saint for happy encounters and it is to him those fearing the Valentine’s post should properly direct their prayers.
Probably, in real terms, no different than wishing for Kris Kringle rather than Santa Claus; or Ratoncito Perez rather than the Tooth Fairy. Still, nice to have the issue clarified by the “experts”. I get around the whole thorny issue by dating a rather tasty lady whose birthday is on the 14th, so don’t need to worry about whose saints day it is*.
*By the way – according to my Spanish Calendar of Saints, the 14th is the day of: Valentine, Cirilio and Metodo. St. Rafael has the 24th of October. So maybe the GB Catholics have different days from the Spanish? But surely, if Catholism is the one true religion, such basic errors would not ocurr?