The Story of St Valentine

The story of St. Valentine has two different versions - the Protestant and the Catholic one. 

The Protestant

During the lifetime of Valentine, the golden era of Roman Empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Education declined, taxation increased and trade witnessed a very bad time. 

The Roman Empire faced crisis from all sides, from the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia. The empire had grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces.

More and more capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers to protect the nation from takeover. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and so, would not make good soldiers. He believed that marriage made the men weak. So he issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers.

St Valentine defied Emperor Claudius by arranging secret marriages for soldiers.

The ban on marriage was great shock for the Roman, but they dared not voice their protest against the emperor. The bishop Valentine also realized the injustice of the decree. He saw the trauma of young lovers who gave up all hopes of being united in marriage and he planned to counter the monarch's orders in secrecy.

Whenever lovers thought of marrying, they went to Valentine who met them afterwards in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. And so he secretly performed many marriages for young lovers. But it was only a matter of time before Claudius came to know of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. 

St Valentine

While awaiting his sentence in prison, Valentine was approached by his jailor, Asterius. It was said that Valentine had saintly abilities and one of them granted him the power to heal people. Asterius had a blind daughter and knowing of the miraculous powers of Valentine he requested the latter to restore the sight of his blind daughter.

The Catholic

The Catholic legend has it that Valentine did this through the vehicle of his strong faith, and in the process fell in love with the jailor's daughter. Meanwhile Claudius II met Valentine, and was said to have been impressed by his dignity and conviction of the latter.

However, Valentine refused to agree with the emperor and he was sentenced to death.

On February 14, the day of his execution, he left his lost love a note signed "from your Valentine." 

And so the day has became a day for all lovers to celebrate their hard won love in remembrance of St Valentine, the patron saint of love. 

Culled from the Internet