Lenten campaign 2026
This content is free of charge, as are all our articles.
Support us with a donation and enable us to continue to reach millions of readers.
St. Valentine's Day has become a day where everyone wears red, hanging-up decorations of red hearts, or simply making red a primary color in their house and office.
While the color red is clearly being used in connection to the red hearts that are everywhere, and a general connection between red and "love;" in truth the color has a much deeper spiritual meaning that we often forget on February 14.
Red for martyrdom and burning love
The Church has chosen red as the primary color for feasts dedicated to martyrdom and sacrifice, as the Catholic Encyclopedia explains:
[R]ed, the language of fire and blood, indicates burning charity and the martyrs' generous sacrifice.
This is why red is used both on feasts of martyrs, as well as other feasts such as Pentecost. Red for Pentecost can be seen in reference to the flames of fire that came down upon the apostles, as well as the fire of “burning charity” that arose in them after that day.
Historically the Church would celebrate the memory of St. Valentine on February 14, and priests would wear red vestments signifying his martyrdom.
It is fitting, then, that Valentine's Day highlights the color red, for it reminds us of the supreme sacrifice of St. Valentine and the profound love he had for God and neighbor.
While it can be easy to forget about the saint behind Valentine's Day, every time we see the color red we should recall his holy life and heroic death.
