There is so much to love about St. Valentine. People around the world celebrate love on his feast day, February 14th.
St. Valentine is a real, historically documented person, but the history of his life is muddled and little can be confirmed about him. History gives us two different accounts of him, and it’s unclear whether each account is about the same person or two different people.
The Life of St. Valentine
Here’s what we know for sure about St. Valentine:
- He lived in Italy during the third century A.D.
- He was martyred for his Christian faith
Why was St. Valentine martyred? The first historical account we have of St. Valentine says he was a priest or bishop executed by Roman Emperor Claudius II for secretly marrying Christian couples. Under the Empire, Roman soldiers were forbidden to marry because it was believed single men made better soldiers than those with wives and children.
The second account says St. Valentine was jailed for attempting to help Christians being persecuted in Rome. At that time in history, Romans worshiped pagan gods and Christianity was outlawed, but St. Valentine refused to renounce his faith. While imprisoned he healed the jailer’s blind daughter. According to legend, on the day of his execution, he wrote the girl a note signed, “Your Valentine.” Hence today’s tradition of giving Valentine’s Day cards to our loved ones.
St. Valentine’s existence was confirmed by archaeologists who unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to him. In 496, Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom. The Church still recognizes him as a saint and continues to remember his martyrdom on February 14th. However, because of the lack of verifiable information about his life, the Church removed St. Valentine from the General Roman Calendar in 1969.
Love Lessons From St. Valentine
Saints provide us with examples of holiness. Studying how they lived can help us shape our own behavior as Christians. St. Valentine risked his life to offer Christians the sacrament of marriage. His actions teach us about the value and importance of marriage. Those of us called to the vocation of married life can be encouraged by St. Valentine to remain committed to our spouses and to uphold our marriage vows.
For those called to the single life, take note of how St. Valentine showed love to all people he encountered no matter their status—believer or non-believer, healthy or sick, free or imprisoned.
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body. Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Hebrews 13: 1 – 4
St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of marriage, engaged couples, love, beekeepers, and epilepsy. The Saints are closely united with Christ in Heaven. Therefore, we are able to ask for their intercession with the Father. St. Valentine, pray for us!