The History of St Valentine
Ever wondered who was St Valentine and how did Valentines Day come about. Well there are many opinions as to who was the original Valentine.
According to romantic legend the most popular theory is that it was a kind-hearted Roman Priest who solemnized the marriages of young couples in ancient Rome, against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II.
Valentine was beheaded for his deeds on the 14th February. The Romans loved Valentine dearly and would assemble at the temple to hear his words. They would kneel before him and receive his blessing.
Rich and poor, wise and ignorant, old and young, noble and common people they all flocked to Valentine.
No one wanted to leave their families
When the Roman war broke out, Claudius summoned the citizens forth to battle and year after year the fighting continued. Many of the Romans were unwilling to go. The married men did not want to leave their families.
The younger men did not wish to leave their sweethearts. The emperor was angry when there were too few soldiers. He ordered that no marriages should be celebrated and that all engagements must be broken off immediately.
In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine. Through the centuries, the Christian holiday became a time to exchange love messages.
And so roughly speaking that is how Valentines Day came about.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.