February 14 Valentine's Day: Valentine's Day.

In reality the reference saint, Saint Valentine of Terni , had little to do with love matters.

Martyred in 270, at the age of 94, he is the patron saint of epileptics.

Other scholars trace the origins of the festival back to the times of ancient Rome.

It would be the transformation of the celebration of "Lupercalia" , within the Carnival, where naked young men took it upon themselves to whip the women who offered themselves to this fertility ritual.

I would say that with "Love", understood as the fundamental feeling of a truly special relationship between man and woman, the connections are non-existent.

And in art?

The masterpieces that are usually associated with Valentine's Day are: Klimt's kiss, Hayez's and other similar ones, even if less famous and celebrated.

I don't want to seem fussy, but if the kiss can certainly be an autograph of love, the celebration is for lovers and not for kisses .

On Valentine's Day we celebrate "falling in love", that love alive with passion and mutual amazement, when the boundary between reality and dreams is blurred.

And who knew how to express this emotion better than Marc Chagall ?

His paintings where he and she fly, hug each other, look at each other tell us of a daily life transformed into an enchantment thanks to love.

Happy Valentine's Day to all lovers.

Andrea Giuseppe Fadini