Valentine's Day

[Sam]

Next week is Valentine's Day, some times called by its older name of Saint Valentine's Day.

We don't know a lot about the man that we now call Saint Valentine but from stories told about him, he courageously stood up for his religious beliefs even though it resulted in his being martyred.

The following story may not be completely historically accurate but it's a good story.

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno, the Queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

Boys and girls were kept strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Some times the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

The person we know as Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome. The date of his birth is not known. Along with Saint Marius and his family, Valentine assisted the martyrs during the persecution they suffered under the rule of Claudius II (also known as Claudius the Goth and Claudius the Cruel). In addition, since Rome was at the time involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns, the emperor found it difficult to recruit the male populace into joining his military leagues. Believing this to be because Roman men were adverse to leaving their loved ones or their families, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements within the City of Rome. Saint Valentine and Saint Marius, however, continued to perform weddings in secret. When it was discovered that Valentine was defying the emperor's decree, he was apprehended and dispatched by Claudius to the Prefect of Rome who, being unable to force the saint to renounce Christianity, ordered that Valentine be clubbed, stoned and then beheaded. According to tradition, while Valentine waited in prison for his execution, he corresponded with those under his care by sending letters and notes to them. Also, people would come to the jail with flowers and notes of support. One of his most ardent supporters was the blind daughter (we think her name was Julia) of the prison guard (Asterius). She would talk with Valentine for hours and try to keep his spirits up. It is believed that while incarcerated, the Bishop fell in love with her and that God enabled Valentine to miraculously restore the girl's sight through his prayers. Valentine may have been a physician. The day he was to die, February 14, Valentine wrote her a note of thanks for her friendship and loyalty and signed it, “Love from your Valentine.” The saint was executed on February 14 in either 269 A.D. or 270 A.D. In 270 A.D., Pope Julius I is said to have built a church in the saint's memory. The relic bones of this Saint Valentine are now housed within the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in the feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast.

[Scott Hutchinson]

I have a music playing engagement for monday,a fiddle player invited me to help provide music at a Valentine's Day Banquet at a local baptist church.I'll be picking for my supper.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Sam

Next week is Valentine's Day, some times called by its older name of Saint Valentine's Day.

We don't know a lot about the man that we now call Saint Valentine but from stories told about him, he courageously stood up for his religious beliefs even though it resulted in his being martyred.

The following story may not be completely historically accurate but it's a good story.

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno, the Queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

Boys and girls were kept strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Some times the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

The person we know as Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome. The date of his birth is not known. Along with Saint Marius and his family, Valentine assisted the martyrs during the persecution they suffered under the rule of Claudius II (also known as Claudius the Goth and Claudius the Cruel). In addition, since Rome was at the time involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns, the emperor found it difficult to recruit the male populace into joining his military leagues. Believing this to be because Roman men were adverse to leaving their loved ones or their families, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements within the City of Rome. Saint Valentine and Saint Marius, however, continued to perform weddings in secret. When it was discovered that Valentine was defying the emperor's decree, he was apprehended and dispatched by Claudius to the Prefect of Rome who, being unable to force the saint to renounce Christianity, ordered that Valentine be clubbed, stoned and then beheaded. According to tradition, while Valentine waited in prison for his execution, he corresponded with those under his care by sending letters and notes to them. Also, people would come to the jail with flowers and notes of support. One of his most ardent supporters was the blind daughter (we think her name was Julia) of the prison guard (Asterius). She would talk with Valentine for hours and try to keep his spirits up. It is believed that while incarcerated, the Bishop fell in love with her and that God enabled Valentine to miraculously restore the girl's sight through his prayers. Valentine may have been a physician. The day he was to die, February 14, Valentine wrote her a note of thanks for her friendship and loyalty and signed it, “Love from your Valentine.” The saint was executed on February 14 in either 269 A.D. or 270 A.D. In 270 A.D., Pope Julius I is said to have built a church in the saint's memory. The relic bones of this Saint Valentine are now housed within the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in the feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast.

Since it is now Valentine's Day,
I am bumping this.