Valentine’s Day is great romantic fun for lots of folks.
Couples go out to dinner (and restaurants make lots of money).
Men send candy and flowers to women (and confectioners and florists make lots of money).
People of every sort send cards (and greeting-card companies make lots of money).
I guess what I’m trying to say is that today has become rather commercial and far removed from the events that somehow inspired it.
All this fun stuff started up in the 18th century when efforts began to get a little more recognition for the person the day is named for: Saint Valentine.
There isn’t much to suggest that Valentine was much of a romantic. But he was a holy priest who assisted the martyrs in Rome during the rather unsavory rule of Emperor Claudius II (aka Claudius the Goth).
Claudius’ thugs captured Valentine, who bravely told the emperor about Christ. Claudius responded by having Valentine beaten with clubs and beheaded on February 14, 270.
Valentine was willing, as were so many martyrs, to put his faith above his safety, his comfort and his very life. Given the persecution of Christians in the world today, he is worth remembering between bites of chocolate and sniffs of roses.
