St Valentines Day embraces atime of year historically associated with love and fertility. On this day, weremember the martyrdom of St Valentine, who was executed in Rome around 269 AD,under orders from the Emperor Claudius. Emperor Claudius claimed that marriedmen made poor soldiers and decreed that marriage between younger citizens beoutlawed.
Despite this, it is believedthat Valentine continued to conduct illegitimate wedding ceremonies in thecapital, maintaining that marriage was part of Gods plan and purpose for theworld. The popularity of his actions ultimately led to his arrest andexecution, but not before he fell in love with his jailers daughter. Legendsuggests that on the evening of his execution the priest passed her a notewhich read from your Valentine.
The Feast Day of St Valentineinvites us to mark and acknowledge the all loving God who blesses those wholove one another. The sacrificial love of God in Christ is an example of thehuman love between men and women.
