ST. VALENTINE’S DAY VS. ARMENIA’S ST. SARGIS DAY: WHAT GIVES?

Tert.am
18:04 ~U 12.02.10

St. Valentine’s Day was invented by business owners in an attempt
to increase the sale of various kitsch items such as heart-shaped
chocolates and candies, said priest Hakob Khachatryan at a press
conference today.

In his words, there are three saints in the Armenian Catholic Church
who are named Valentine, but their life stories do not follow that
of the St. Valentine celerated on February 14: thus, the priest
surmised, the St. Valentine, whom this holiday is named after, does
not truly exist.

Khachatryan also said that lately the youth are less enthusiastic
about celebrating this holiday, because Armenians have their own day
of young lovers – St. Sargis Day.

However, ethnographer Ruzan Tsaturyan, who was also participating
during the press conference, said she didn’t share this viewpoint.

"It doesn’t appear to me that it’s celebrated less; it’s just that
they [Armenian youth] have begun to celebrate St. Sargis Day more,"
said Tsaturyan, adding that she didn’t consider it a bad thing that
the youth have another opportunity to celebrate a day for lovers.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress