Posted on 02/15/2018 3:10:43 PM PST by GoldenState_Rose
On February 14 around the year 278 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, was executed.
Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families.
To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.
Legend also has it that while in jail, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine.”
For his great service, Valentine was named a saint after his death.
In truth, the exact origins and identity of St. Valentine are unclear. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of 14 February.” One was a priest in Rome, the second one was a bishop of Interamna (now Terni, Italy) and the third St. Valentine was a martyr in the Roman province of Africa.
Legends vary on how the martyr’s name became connected with romance. The date of his death may have become mingled with the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love. On these occasions, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius decided to put an end to the Feast of Lupercalia, and he declared that February 14 be celebrated as St Valentine’s Day.
Gradually, February 14 became a date for exchanging love messages, poems and simple gifts such as flowers.
It’s very interesting to know, but I’m glad I didn’t read about this historic fact yesterday.
Indeed...well Ash Wednesday fell on the same day this year...so preparation for the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ begins...
A time to call to mind our mortality, our sinfulness, and the world’s desperate need for redemption and healing.
Prayers especially for this nation...
Amen
Thanks for finding and posting this little known insight into the origins of observing Valentine’s Day.-
We were taking at work yesterday about Valentine’s day and it popped into my head I didn’t know anything about St. Valentine. Thanks for the info.
Early Catholicism motto seems to be “If you can’t join them, beat them”. I really like that and it seemed to work well.
And these days Satan’s motto is “If you can’t beat them, join them”.
So much so that almost every church is Apostate.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth”
Thank you. We need to remember what we have been taught.
God Bless!
Never forget the truth!
“9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Must be why we behead roses in his honor.
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