Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Here’s hoping you’re surrounded by love and all things red and pink. But, shouldn’t the day’s message of love stick around all year? Long after the roses have died, the cards have been tossed or saved, and candies are long gone, the love behind them should not. That’s how St. Valentine would have wanted it and that’s how he lived. Yes, there was a real man named Valentine and maybe it’s time to learn about him and why we even have a Valentine’s Day.
Valentine, and yes, that was his real name, was a priest who served in third century Rome. During that time, Claudius II was emperor and at some point decided that single men made better soldiers than those who were married. He outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military but Valentine thought the decree was unfair and wanted to help Christians who were being persecuted so he continued to marry young couples. He strongly believed people should get married and secretly performed weddings throughout Rome. When Claudius found out about this, he sentenced Valentine to prison.
While imprisoned, Valentine was relentlessly asked to renounce his actions and his faith but he refused. Sent to another prison, Valentine is said to have written little messages to family and friends to let them know he was well and that he loved them. He would also pray with and befriended a guard whose daughter was blind and had asked Valentine to heal her sight. It is said that just days before his execution, Valentine prayed over the girl, touched her eyes, and she regained her eyesight. Word travelled fast, and upon hearing about this, many turned to Christianity.
Claudius was not amused or impressed and quickly condemned Valentine to death. The night before his execution, Valentine wrote to the young girl and signed it, “From your Valentine.” The phrase became popular and today is still used on cards everywhere.
Stoned and beheaded on February 14, 269, Valentine was buried on the Flaminian Way and a Basilica was erected in his honor.
Not only is Valentine’s Day a holiday in the U.S., it’s celebrated worldwide. In Japan, chocolate is more beloved than even stateside while in Denmark, flowers are also given to loved ones on the holiday. In both Italy and Germany it’s strictly an adult and “lovers only” holiday while Mexico officially calls it a Day of Love and Friendship. St. Valentine is considered the Patron Saint of Spring in Slovenia but perhaps the holiday is celebrated biggest in France.
We all know that Paris is known as the “City of Love” and that couples used to attach locks on the Pont des Arts Bridge and throw keys into the River Seine on Valentine’s Day, but the practice was halted due to the weight of the locks and their potential damage to the historic bridge. The French village of St. Valentin is decked in flowers on Valentine’s Day and is a popular destination for weddings, vow renewals, and engagements. How lovely would that be?!
St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of love, young people, and happy marriages, which makes me happy being that I was married a day later on February 15. Considering the fact that Valentine saw to it that couples were united in marriage, it’s quite fitting that the holiday of love is named after him. Valentine’s favorite words were “Love one another as I have loved you” and I’m thinking they’re pretty good words for all of us to live by today and everyday.
Beyond Words 