Saint Valentine and Dublin, Ireland

Written by
Saint Valentine's Shrine in Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin, Ireland Saint Valentine's Shrine in Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin, Ireland

Saint Valentine, the 3rd century Italian martyr whose feast day is celebrated on the 14th of February is not commonly associated with Dublin, yet his remains are housed in a reliquary shrine in the Irish capital.

How did this come about you might well ask, he was unlikely to have visited Ireland in his lifetime.

Inside a large church that can hold 2,000 parishioners, to one side, lie the remains of Saint Valentine.

Yes, that very same Saint Valentine who is celebrated on February 14th each year - the patron saint of love.

It’s known as Whitefriar Street Church yet the main entrance is from Aungier Street in Dublin.

This place has been home to Carmelite friars since the mid-13th century, the building today was constructed in the 19th century by George Papworth.

It’s not common knowledge outside of Dublin that there is a shrine to Saint Valentine in the Irish capital. The reliquary given to the Carmelites in Dublin by Pope Gregory XVI in 1836 contains, it is said, Saint Valentine’s blood and some bones - but the inner seal of the box has never been opened.

They were given to Father John Spratt, an Irish Carmelite who travelled to Rome and gained fame as a preacher there including at the Gesu, the Jesuit church.

Anyway, if you’re unlucky in love then on your next visit it might make a worthwhile stop to visit the shrine of Saint Valentine.

And take a photography workshop in Dublin too while you're here with Panoramic Ireland's Dublin Photo Tours.

**Check out the Panoramic Ireland podcast now up on Spotify** https://open.spotify.com/show/21sklSQmw9TKkQqryBtdwj

 

 
Last modified on Friday, 14 February 2020 18:30
Darren McLoughlin

Irishman and International travel photographer in search of the best bits of Ireland. Leading photography tours and experiences in Ireland.

Contributor to New York Times / Sunday Times / Irish Times / Echtra Echtra and Eonmusic

Cancer survivor.

Ask me about travel in Ireland or about photography in Ireland.

https://darrenmcloughlin.com

Leave a comment

Contact Us
1000 characters left
Cookies make it easier for us to provide you with our services. With the usage of our services you permit us to use cookies.
Ok