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...In Rome in C.E. 270, Valentine enraged the emperor Claudius II,* who had issued an edict forbidding marriage. Claudius felt that married men made poor soldiers, because they would not want to leave their families for battle. The empire needed soldiers, so Claudius abolished marriage. Valentine, bishop of Interamna, invited young couples to come to him in secret, where he joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this “friend of lovers,” and had the bishop brought to the palace. The emperor, impressed with the young priest’s dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods,...

Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival held each year in Rome on February 15. Although Valentine’s Day shares its name with a martyred Christian saint, some historians believe the holiday is actually an offshoot of Lupercalia. Unlike Valentine’s Day, however, Lupercalia was a bloody, violent and sexually charged celebration awash with animal sacrifice, random matchmaking and coupling in the hopes of warding off evil spirits and infertility. Romulus and Remus No one knows the exact origin of Lupercalia, but it has been traced back as far as the 6th century B.C. According to Roman legend, the ancient King Amulius ordered...

"Saint Valentine, priest and martyr, lived nearly 1,700 years ago in pagan Rome. Father Valentine answered God’s call to the priesthood at a time when it wasn’t easy to be a Catholic, and it was downright dangerous to be a priest or bishop. The infant Catholic Church was being brutally persecuted by Emperor Claudius II. But that didn’t scare young Valentine! He knew that the Christian Faith was the only remedy for the sick and permissive society in which he lived. Especially when it came to Her teachings about the relationship that should exist between a man and a woman...

During the first three centuries of Christianity, there were ten major persecutions in which the government threw Christians to the lions, boiled them alive, had their tongues cut out, and worse. Christian writings, scriptures and historical records were destroyed. Because so many records were destroyed, details of Saint Valentine's life are scant. What little is know was passed down and finally printed in the year 1260 in Legenda Sanctorum by Jacobus de Voragine, and in the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493. Saint Valentine was either a priest in Rome or a bishop in Terni, central Italy. He risked the Emperor's wrath by...

As Valentine’s Day approaches love birds in the St Louis region will be looking for fine chocolates to send their partners. But, if they are pro-life they may want to avoid Kakao Chocolates. According to posts placed on the Facebook page of Planned Parenthood of the St Louis Region, Kakao Chocolate created “Chocolates for Choice” to help fund abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood’s December 2nd post reads, “Send a gift of Kakao chocolates to yourself or a loved one and proceeds will go to Planned Parenthood in St. Louis. Kakao packages are available in three sizes, and start with...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has launched a nationwide crackdown on stores selling items that are red or otherwise allude to the banned celebration of Valentine's Day. A Saudi official says the feared religious police are inspecting shops for red roses, heart-shaped products or gifts wrapped in red, and ordering storeowners to get rid of them. Red-colored or heart-shaped items are legal at other times of the year, but as Feb. 14 nears they become contraband in Saudi Arabia...

Valentines Day is commonly known as a day when a person focuses on his or her honey. Valentines Day is also widely attributed as being a “Hallmark Holiday,” as well as a day in which men would scramble around to buy their woman last minute flowers or chocolates. In essence, Valentines Day is celebrated as a day set aside in which a person makes a sacrifice of time and money to show their appreciation for their spouse or lover. Valentines Day also has an interesting background behind it, as does all widely celebrated Holidays dating back to the Roman Empire....

FRONT ROYAL, Va., February 14, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President of Human Life International (HLI), responded to the attempt by condom manufacturers to pervert St. Valentine's Day. Reacting to "national condom week" which begins today and runs till the 21st, Fr. Euteneuer said, "The condom industry is in bed with the abortion industry to exploit a day that traditionally is a celebration of selfless love and marriage. All week at campus centers across the country, organizations that make their money killing pre-born children through abortion will be passing out condoms to students." "National Condom Week is...

A couple shopping for Valentine's day in Bangalore (TOI) NEW DELHI: Love was in the air as twosomes thronged parks, restaurants and malls in major cities to celebrate Valentine's Day with roses, chocolates and sweet nothings under the stern watch of Hindu hardline groups who tried hard to mar the celebrations. Lovers were everywhere - holding hands and cosying up in parks and open spaces, meeting in lounges, discotheques, pubs and even parking lots - as flower sellers made a killing with a single rose stalk going for as much as Rs.50 in some places. It looked as if the...

February 14, 2006 Memorial of Saint Cyril, monk, and Saint Methodius, bishop Psalm: Tuesday 10 Reading IJas 1:12-18 Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.No one experiencing temptation should say,“I am being tempted by God”;for God is not subject to temptation to evil,and he himself tempts no one.Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved...

The Golden LegendThe Life of Saint Valentine         ere beginneth the Life of Saint Valentine, and first the interpretation of his name. Valentine is as much to say as containing valour that is perseverant in great holiness. Valentine is said also as a valiant knight, for he was a right noble knight of God, and the knight is said valiant that fleeth not, and smiteth and defendeth valiantly and overcometh much puissantly. And so Saint Valentine withdrew him not from his martyrdom in fleeing, he smote in destroying the idols, he defended the faith, he overcame in...

February 14 Spiritual Bouquet: If your right eye is an occasion of sin to you, pluck it out and cast it from you. St. Matthew 5:29 SAINT VALENTINE Priest and Martyr (t268) Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who assisted the martyrs during the persecution under Claudius II. His great virtue and influence became known, and he was apprehended and brought before the emperor's tribunal. "Why, Valentine, do you want to be the friend of our enemies and reject our friendship?" The Christian priest replied, "My Lord, if you knew the gift of God, you would be happy, and...

Hanover, Penn., – Moral values are being undermined at 30 Catholic colleges during the weeks surrounding St. Valentine’s day. In fact, many students are afflicted by a play called “The V***** Monologues,” which is scheduled to be held on Catholic campuses throughout the country. (Asterisks added for the sake of modesty). TFP Student Action – a conservative organization of Catholic inspiration – is opposing the play, urging its members on 375 campuses to protest. According to the group’s web site: “In one scene, a woman describes her seduction by a lesbian woman when she was 16 years old, declaring it...

In thinking what to write about this week, I started with France, which is really ticking me off these days. Working with axis of weasels partners Germany and Belgium, France is going out of its way to prove that when the going gets tough, they get going. Belgium isn’t nearly as irritating as France. It’s a nothing country with a population less than that of Illinois and is known primarily for chocolates and the fictional detective Hercule Poirot. Its main purpose for existence is to fill the dead space between France and the Netherlands. Nothing should surprise us about Germany,...