St. Valentine is famously known as the saint of love, having inspired the day of love, i.e, Valentine’s Day. However, not many people are aware of his contributions leading to the celebration of love. So, in this article, we will briefly discuss some lesser-known St Valentine facts.
A. The Story of St Valentine
- In the olden days, Romans had started converting into Christians. The Roman Emperor Claudius, being a pagan, was against this conversion as he believed that Roman soldiers must be devoted to Rome.
- To ensure this, the Government started imposing strict Rules on the Dos and Don’ts of Christians in Rome.
- However, St Valentine did not support this move and started helping the Roman-Christian Converts to secretly marry in Christian Churches. This slowly became the reason for St Valentine being valued so much. (See Trick or Treat Origin)
B. Valentine’s Day Inspiration
St Valentine was imprisoned several times for his imposter acts. His execution was set to take place on the 14th of February in the year 270. Before being executed, he sent a Love letter to the jailor’s blind daughter signing himself as – from your Valentine. It is believed that the blind daughter regained her eyesight especially to read the love letter so that she wouldn’t have to hear it from someone else. This miracle led to the celebration of Valentine’s Day on 14th February every year. (See Valentine Week List)
C. The Feast of St Valentine
The Feast of St Valentine is an occasion where people love to exchange colorful sweet candies, some cupcakes, pies, exchange handmade cards, and bouquets made of enormous, enchanting, and eye-soothing colorful flowers. There are several ways Catholics celebrate the feast such as:
- Exchanging St. Valentine prayer cards containing holy prayers which signify love in life.
- Gifting innovative Love scriptures.
- Hosting a sumptuous supper dining with delectable desserts and munching foods based on some Love theme.
- Decorating with Holy Cards and Red Rosaries for the table.
Praying with the entire family for the embodiment of Love with every living being. (See What Does Merry Christmas Mean?)
D. Surprising St Valentine Facts
St Valentine Facts are quite interesting. Here is a list of all the significant facts that you should know about:
1. He Stood up for Christians
St. Valentine was a well-known clergyman, that is, both a Bishop and a priest in the Roman Empire during the third century. He was slain around the year 270 amid a major massacre of Christians. As per the 1493 Chronicle of Nuremberg, he was assaulted with swords and then crucified for assisting Catholics in Rome. (See What is the difference between grace and mercy in Christianity?)
2. He was Slaughtered by Gothicus
According to the 1260 Golden Legend, St. Valentine refused to renounce Christ in front of Emperor Claudius II Gothicus (214-270) and had been slaughtered outside the Flaminian Gate as more than just a consequence. His execution on 14 February created his Saints’ Day, which is now known as Saint Valentine’s Day.
3. He was the Saint of Healing
According to one common narrative, St. Valentine was a previous bishop of Terni in central Italy. While in detention, he was brought to Judge Asterius, who wanted him to help his adopted blind daughter see again. Valentine, while praying to God, placed his hands on the child’s eyes, and she regained her sight. The judge was immediately humbled, and he converted to Christianity via Baptism. He released all of his Christian captives, including Valentine. Owing to this, Valentine came to be known as the saint of Healing.
4. He coined – from your Valentine
St Valentine had addressed himself in the Love letter as from your Valentine. This led to the phrase being used in love confessions. Your Valentine signifies your love and is a symbol of finding one’s soulmate. This is another lesser known St Valentine facts. (See 8 Best Valentine’s Decoration Ideas)
5. He performed other Acts of Kindness
Besides being a saint performing holy duties in helping couples meet and marry,
- He was a devoted beekeeper.
- He also practiced curing epilepsy, plague & fainting. (See How to treat a Bad Cough?)
6. His Skull resides in Rome
St Valentine had been brutally beheaded. Later, his disciples had found parts of his body and returned them to his home. In the 19th century, the Saint’s body parts were recovered. Following the discovery, other parts of his body were distributed in other parts of the globe such as England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Czech Republic. However, the skull of St Valentine was garnered with flowers and kept on display in the Basilica of Saint Maria in Cosemedin, Rome. (See why Paris is called the city of Love)
These St Valentine facts and pieces of information have surely given you a brief about the origin and importance of Valentine’s Day.
