Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide under different names but also on additional days, which is, in other words, the uniqueness of each country. In Latin America, Valentine’s Day is known as the Day of Love and Friendship. The author of this feast is Saint Valentine.
Saint Valentine was a preacher of the Gospel, a miracle worker, and a healer. His faithful much loved him. Valentine was born in 0175 AD in Interamna. He was ordained a priest by St. Felician of Foligno and Bishop of Interamna by Pope Victor I in 0197 AD. He cured the brother of the Roman tribune, Frontanus, of a severe illness. When Cherimon, the son of the famous philosopher Craton, fell ill, he, following the advice of Frontanus, called Bishop Valentine to Rome. Cheriton was suffering from a disease that was crippling and twisted his body terribly. After Saint Valentine had spent a night in prayer, Cherimon, completely healthy, went to the philosopher Craton, his father. Then they baptized Craton, his entire household, and his three disciples.
The origin of this Valentine’s Day is still unclear today; there are only legends surrounding it with mystery and having St Valentine at their center. One of the legends says that Valentine was a priest in Rome in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. During the reign of Emperor Claudius II, he is said to have helped young people, Christian or pagan, to marry.
Saint Valentine was removed from the calendar in 1969 because of the data’s ambiguity concerning his person and the deeds that led to his consecration as a saint. Today, on February 14, Catholics remember Saints Cyril and Methodius.
Who was Saint Valentine?
Valentine’s Day is said to be a pagan holiday in the West. But in the Christian tradition, there are also several saints named Valentine, some of whom were martyred on the same day but in different parts of the world.
Saint Valentine claimed the spiritual patronage of Valentine’s Day was a priest who later became Bishop of Terni. He was martyred in 0180 AD, during the persecution of Emperor Aurelian. His relics are still venerated in the Church of St. Valentine in Terni. Valentine, the priest, unable to put up with the soul damage of young people because most of them had fallen prey to sin, indulging in fornication, began to marry, in secret, young couples who appealed to him. When Emperor Claudius learned that the priest Valentine had disobeyed his decision, he imprisoned the priest, who died a martyr’s death in prison.
The Roman Catholic Church has celebrated St. Valentine since the 5th century A.D. with the blessing of Pope Gelasius I. He was removed from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but the feast has remained in the spiritual consciousness of the faithful. With time, it was replaced by Valentine’s Day, which has Cupid, the God of love, as its spiritual patron.
Biography of Valentine
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Biblical places from the times of Valentine
Was St. Valentine a natural person?
Valentine’s Day, or St Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14, has a disturbing story involving betrayal, bloody execution, choleric defiance, and, of course, a touching love story. To find the honest Saint Valentine, we turn the pages of history way back to the third century, when the Roman Empire was ruled by Emperor Marcus Aurelius Claudius Gothicus, also known as Claudius II.
According to biblical and apocryphal scholars, St. Valentine was a natural person and as accurate as the case. He secretly married soldiers in love for his decision to oppose Claudius before they were sent off to war. And in 0269 AD, St Valentine was thrown into prison and was also sentenced to death.
So thousands of couples saw their dream of marriage shattered by the emperor’s decision. But no one dared to defy Claudius II. With one exception, St Valentine, who was a priest. According to legend, before he was executed, St Valentine fell in love with a blind girl, but not just any girl, the daughter of his jailer. In addition, the girl would visit him during his time behind bars. And also, the jailkeeper would have recorded in Apocrypha all these accounts.
What miracles did St. Valentine do?
Saint Valentine is said to have been a healer of the sick and a saint of Christian love and family. He is presented as a friend of Emperor Claudius Lotus, who interrogated him personally at his trial. Valentin’s clear and convincing answers also stirred the emperor’s thoughts; turning to the audience present, he said: Listen to the wise words of this man.
A remarkable preacher of the Gospel, miracle worker, and healer was Valentine the Saint. He performed the miracle of healing the brother of the Roman tribune, Frontanus, of a severe illness. When Cherimon, the son of the famous philosopher Craton, fell ill, following Frontanus’ advice, he called Bishop Valentine to Rome.
Cheriton was suffering from a disease that was crippling and twisted his body terribly. After St Valentine had spent a night in prayer, Cherimon, fully recovered, appeared before the philosopher Craton, his father. Then Craton and his entire household were baptized, along with his three disciples.
He was, however, condemned to death because, in the meantime, he had converted the perfect Asterius himself and all his family to the Christian faith. The martyr was buried near the Via Flaminia, where a church dedicated to him was built.
Key Verse related to Valentine’s Day
“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
What does the Bible say about Valentine’s Day?
Holidays are pleasant and also expected by all. People celebrate what is holy and precious to them; they experience the joy of the holiday. Holidays can be unique: family, national, religious. They even take the past of the family, the nation, and the history of the relationship between God and man. Also, Holidays reflect the national culture, the thread that links the generations of a country.
According to leading researchers, the Bible doesn’t mention details about Valentine’s Day; it just says 848 times to love each other. No such holiday is written in the Bible or attached to any event. Traditional holidays are also the smile of a people. So it’s enough to stumble upon one of them to learn, without words, a history of centuries, sometimes millennia.
Valentine’s Day was founded by St Valentine, who was arrested in Rome at almost a hundred by order of prefect Furius during the persecutions of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Saint Valentine was killed in secret during the night.
Who invented Valentine’s Day?
To relate the history of the beautiful Valentine’s Day, it should also be mentioned that it originates in paganism. Valentine’s Day is reminiscent of paganism, God’s absence in human life. The false celebration of Valentine’s Day was invented long ago in Greece. It was also a day dedicated to the God Pan. He is the God of fertility, not unlike today’s fake Valentine. The God Pan was half man, half goat. This idol terrified people of his appearance but also his wildness.
According to digital resources and researchers, Pope Gelasius, the ancient Greeks, and I invented Valentine’s Day. Legend has it that the God Pan was very talented at playing the nai and had many love affairs with nymphs and goddesses. The Greeks believed that this ordinary shepherd of sheep had magical powers in love.
The Christians of that time were dying for the cause of Christ because they refused to participate in this hateful and satanic theatre. People were not exactly good when it came to Pan or Faunus. Pan-Faunus, now Valentine (NOT the Saint), is a god contrary to Christ, a substitute for Christ.
What is the history of Valentine’s Day?
Every year on February 14, lovers worldwide celebrates Valentine’s Day, also known as Valentine’s Day. When people send about 150 million cards, this holiday is considered the second most popular holiday after Christmas.
One of the legends asserts history that Valentine was a priest in Rome in the 2nd-3rd centuries. This was during the time of Emperor Claudius II. The Roman emperor was convinced that men would be much better soldiers if they didn’t have fiancées or wives, so he banned marriages. The young priest, by contrast, argued that marriage was part of God’s plan and one of the purposes of this life. So he married young people secretly, in the name of love.
When his secret reached the ears of the emperor, he was imprisoned and sentenced to death on February 14, 269. The same legend says that Valentine fell in love with the guard’s daughter while in prison. Before he died, Valentine sent her a letter, which he signed From your Valentine. This is how the custom of sending love messages on this Day came about.
On the other hand, other legends claim that this Day is celebrated at the beginning of February, as this was the time of the Roman feast Lupercalia. The event took place around February 15 and honored fertility, Faunus, the Roman God of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.
Why was St. Valentine imprisoned?
The life of St. Valentine introduces us to the atmosphere of the first three centuries of Christianity. A sad period for the Church, a time of persecution and persecution against Christians, in which martyrs flourished and manifested themselves, that is, those who confessed to the Saviour Christ at the cost of their lives. Saint Valentine was born around 0175 AD in the Roman town of Interamna, and he was ordained a priest by Saint Felician of Foligno. Because of his virtuous life, Valentine was elected Bishop of Interamna and ordained by Pope Victor I in 0197 AD.
According to all biblical and apocryphal sources, Saint Valentine was imprisoned because he secretly helped couples marry and opposed the emperor’s law. St Valentine was arrested, tortured, and beheaded in Rome at nearly one hundred by the prefect Placid Furius. Along with Valentine, his disciples Proculus, Ephivus, and Apollonius met a martyr end in AD 0273.
Valentine blessed the bond between a young Christian girl and a pagan soldier through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, newly converted to the faith in Christ. This event made St Valentine the patron saint of love and the Christian family.
Why is St. Valentine a martyr?
The story of this Saint Valentine says that he was a priest in the Roman Empire during the time of Claudius II. The emperor led bloody military campaigns that required keeping a constant supply of soldiers in the army. Because, in his view, young men could not be enlisted, being tied to wives and children, the emperor outlawed marriage.
According to apocryphal and historical records, St Valentine is considered a martyr because he was beheaded for his acts of faith and Christianity. St Valentine of Terni was arrested, and to test his words were valid, the prefect asked him to pray for his blind daughter, and her sight was restored after St Valentine’s prayers. Even though the perfect realized the Saint’s power, Emperor Claudius demanded the Saint’s arrest and death sentence.
Because of his history and his martyrdom, churches named Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Martyr’s Day. Lovers also celebrated it by giving each other gifts, chocolate, or flowers, leading to Valentine’s Day today.
What is Valentine’s Day?
It’s unknown how Valentine’s Day evolved, but the modern tradition originated mainly in the United States when Americans began sending handwritten valentines in the early 1700s. In 1840, British Esther A. Howland began marketing the first mass-produced greeting cards, one of which is on display at the British Museum. Howland’s cards were miniature works of art made from real lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures.
Valentine’s Day is the Day of celebrating love and Valentine’s martyrdom. The Day is named after the savior of lovers, St Valentine. The legend of St Valentine. According to one legend, he officiated marriages in secret during the time of Emperor Claudius II, who forbade officiating couples’ weddings to recruit men into military service. Yet Valentine’s Day is an excellent opportunity to show your loved one the affection and love you feel, and a message, wish, or declaration of love is always well received.
Valentine is said to have been a Roman priest martyred during the persecution of Claudius in 269-270 AD. As a young man, Valentine helped Christians during times of persecution. So he was caught and imprisoned, where he became a preacher. That is why he was sentenced to death on February 14, 0269. Therefore February 14 remains a special day on which we celebrate St Valentine, the Day before the pagan festival celebrating love.
What is the true meaning of Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide under different names and on additional days, which is, in other words, a matter of each country’s uniqueness. In Latin America, Valentine’s Day is known as the Day of Love and Friendship, and in Brazil, it is celebrated on June 12, the Day before Saint Anthony, the patron saint of marriage. Also, Valentine’s Day has become extremely popular in Asia, creating new traditions in China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, where the most popular gift is chocolate.
According to researchers and some historical sources, the true symbolism of Valentine’s Day is the death of the martyr Valentine, who, during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, secretly married young people in the name of Christianity and love. As it appears today, Valentine’s Day is not only a deviation from Christian morality but even a deviation from the tradition of natural love between fiancés.
Interestingly, the development of this holiday in the Anglo-Saxon area has led even the Anglican and Lutheran Churches to declare St Valentine the patron saint of fiancés.
Prayer to St. Valentine
Just as tradition says that St Valentine is the protector of all couples and that he helps those who have problems in love to overcome misunderstandings and find happiness, so on this meaningful Day, all those who want to pray for love and wish for personal success can say a prayer to St Valentine.
O glorious protector,
Holy Valentine,
Look with mercy on what we desire,
Hear our petitions,
Receive our prayers,
Deliver us, by thy intervention, from troubles
That labor us,
And obtain for us God’s blessing,
So that we may be found worthy of joining you,
In prayer to the Almighty for
For all eternity: thanks to the sacrifice
of our Lord Jesus Christ.Amen.
Where was St Valentine buried?
Terni is an Italian city located in the Umbria region, province of Terni, which is also an important industrial center that experienced extraordinary development in the 19th century thanks to the steel industry. During the Second World War, the city was bombed by Allied troops. Still, today it has been completely renovated, being a beautiful historical, economic, and social center nicknamed the Italian Manchester or the City of Steel.
Saint Valentine was buried in the city of Terni in Italy. After suffering Christian martyrdom. Saint Valentine of Terni was martyred around 0269 AD. According to legend, this Roman physician and priest were tortured, stoned, and then beheaded.
Also, martyred in Rome in the second half of the third century, he remained in the consciousness of Christ’s Church as a healer of the sick and a saint of Christian love and family. Besides, on the feast day, St Valentine blesses all the faithful who visit the location of his tomb.
Primary Takeaways
- Indeed, the celebration of Valentine’s Day on February 14 was decided by Pope Gelasius I in 496. Also, historians have not yet agreed whether the introduction of this feast was intended to replace the pagan fertility festival called Lupercalia.
- Later, the Church wanted to turn the festival into a Christian holiday and decided to use it to remember St Valentine. Over time, the Saint’s name was used by people to express their feelings toward their loved ones.
- Because its origins are so troubled, the feast of St Valentine was removed from the Catholic calendar in 1969.
Conclusion
Valentine’s Day, first celebrated in 0496 AD, is now marked globally on February 14. It is the Day when people show their affection and send each other cards, flowers, sweets, and love messages.
However, St Valentine II was a godly bishop from Terni. He was imprisoned in Rome during a visit without specifying the same iniquity for which he was convicted. Also, in prison, he became esteemed by the guards and Emperor Claudius. So his life ended tragically, in February, for trying to persuade Claudius to lift the ban on marriage.
If you enjoyed reading our article, check out the next Bible Trivia to test your knowledge about Saint Valentine. Have a good day, and take care of your heart. May God keep you safe and bless you and your family!
Quizlet about Saint Valentine
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Explanation of biblical words
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Bibliography
- Claudius II, E. The Origin of Valentine’s Day.
- Farrington, H. (2021). Who was Saint Valentine? Ranch and Rural Living, 102(5), 22-23.
- Kluger, G., & Kudernatsch, V. (2009). St. Valentine—patron saint of epilepsy: Illustrating the semiology of seizures over six centuries. Epilepsy & Behavior, 14(1), 219-225.
- Kreil, A. (2016). The price of love: Valentine’s Day in Egypt and its enemies. The Arab Studies Journal, 24(2), 128-146.
- Palacios-Sánchez, L., Díaz-Galindo, L. M., & Botero-Meneses, J. S. (2017). Saint Valentine: Patron of lovers and epilepsy. Repertorio de Medicina y Cirugía, 26(4), 253-255.
