Feb. 14th - St. Valentine

 

Painting of St. Valentine Receiving a Rosary from the Blessed Virgin Mary

On Valentine’s Day many couples go out for a romantic dinner. Its a day some men will propose. Weddings at times are scheduled for Feb. 14^th. Children learn to create paper hearts and heart shaped candy and cards are shared between lovers, friends and family with a few words on the heart, such as “Be My Valentine” or “Sweet Heart” or “I Love You”. But where did this tradition come from and who or what is “Valentine”? Father Valentine was a priest of Rome who lived in the 200’s. He was well known for his sanctity. Intrigued by his fame, Emperor Claudius invited him to the palace. He offered Valentine his friendship and told him to adore the gods. But Father Valentine courageously and firmly stated it was a waste of time to worship the gods, since Jesus Christ had brought the only true hope and the promise of a better world. The Emperor was impressed by his faith and entrusted him to a Roman nobleman named Asterius, whom he ordered to convert Valentine. Asterius had a daughter who was blind since the age of two. Valentine prayed over her and the girl regained her sight which caused Asterius and his family to convert to Christianity. Due to many unpopular and bloody wars, the emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military. Claudius believed men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families. To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When the Emperor heard about the conversion of Asterius and his family and Valentine’s actions of marrying couples, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and put into jail. When leaving to be executed, Father Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine.” He was dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, 270. He was buried nearby and soon a church was built there in his honor. To bolster the reason for becoming the patron saint of lovers, an ancient English text by Geoffrey Chaucer said birds start mating on Valentine's Day. Over the years, the feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love, became popular. It was a bloody, violent and sexually-charged celebration awash with animal sacrifice. During the festival, the names of young women were placed in a box and were drawn by the men as chance directed and then they would carry out horrid things. In order to put an end to this abomination, in 496, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 be celebrated as St. Valentine’s Day, the same day as the pagan festival. The festival eventually fell away and gradually, February 14 became a date for exchanging love messages, poems and simple gifts such as flowers. Priest and martyr, Father Valentine’s love of Jesus and love of neighbor caused him to be willing to risk his life and to even die, so others may share in their love. By his ministry to Christians, he could say, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me”. (Galatians 2:20) He lived the words of Jesus, “There is no greater love, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) As the apostle John, who rested on the chest of Jesus (near His beating Heart), said, “Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” (1 John 4:15-16). Jesus’ supreme act of love was when He laid down His life for us on the Cross. His Heart was pierced causing blood and water to flow from His side (John 19:34) representing His love and mercy. At times, an image of the Heart of Jesus is placed in the homes of Catholic families, as a reminder of Christ’s love for us.