St. Valentine - Man Behind Valentine's Day

amw - On February 14th around 278 A.D. a sacred priest in Rome within the rule of Emperor Claudius II, was beheaded.

Beneath the rule of Claudius the Terrible, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor needed to maintain a powerful military, but was having an arduous time getting troops to join his military leagues. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to participate the military because of their strong connection for their wives and individuals.

To have rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, continued to perform unions for young lovers in solution and recognizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius.

Claudius ordered that he be put to death, when Valentine’s activities were identified. Valentine was arrested and pulled prior to the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to become beaten to death with clubs and also to have his head beheaded. The punishment was performed around the year of 270, on or about on February 14.

Legend said that he wrote a letter and signed it “From Your Valentine.”, and he did that while he was in jail. St. Valentine left this goodbye note for the jailer’s child, who'd become his buddy.

After his death, Valentine was called a saint for his wonderful support.

The Truth Of St. Valentine

In reality, identification and the actual roots of St. Valentine are unclear. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “At least three diverse Saint Valentines, these martyrs, are described in the early martyrologies under the day of 14 February.” One was a priest in Rome, the 2nd one was a bishop of Interamna (currently Terni, Italy) and the next St. Valentine was a martyr within the Roman province of Africa.

Figures range on how the martyr’s label became connected with love. The time of his demise could have become mingled with all the Banquet of Lupercalia, a festival of love. On these events, the titles of women were put into a box, from as probability focused, which the men drew them. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius decided to place an end for the Feast of Lupercalia, and he declared that February 14 be celebrated as St Valentine’s Day.

Slowly, February 14 became a romantic date for trading poems, love messages and simple presents for example plants.

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