St. Valentine

“Flowers, candy, red hearts and romance. That's what Valentine's Day is all about, right?” (St. Valentine, The Real Story. By David Kithcart.)

No! Valentine's Day was started to remember St. Valentine—martyred on February 14. There are many ideas about why he is remembered, but the gist of it is this:

Valentine was a Roman Catholic Priest who lived during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Supposedly, the emperor passed a law stating that marrying was forbidden among young people. Claudius felt that if the young men were concerned about what would happen to their families if they died, then they wouldn't sign up for the army. So Claudius felt that the best solution was not to marry. However, Valentine continued to marry couples in secret. Eventually he was caught and thrown into prison where he befriended the jailer's daughter. On the day of his execution, he left a note to her and signed it, “from your Valentine” which would explain why the giving of notes has become a Valentine's Day tradition. St. Valentine believed in love and marriage, that's why he gave his life to go against Claudius's law and marry these young couples.

Next time you think about Valentine's Day, remember St. Valentine, who gave his life for such intangible things of value as love. As a matter of a fact, next time you think about someone that you love, tell them that you love them and appreciate them. Happy Valentine's Day!