Saint Valentine:

Feast day : 14 February

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Valentine. Interestingly there are three different Saint Valentines who are associated with this date. One was a priest in Rome, Italy, one was a Bishop of Interamna (now Terni) in Italy and the third was a priest in Africa. All three were martyred for upholding their faith. This feast is recognised as a celebration of love in most parts of the world. Back in the early ages the month of February was associated with fertility and love. Ancient cultures would worship gods and hold festivals in their honor during this month. The Festival of Lupercus, the Roman god for fertility was celebrated in mid February. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I decided to put an end to this festival. He declared February 14 as Saint Valentine’s Day. Thus the feast came to be a celebration of love from thereon.

Saint Valentine, Priest of Rome:

Saint Valentine the Priest of Rome, lived during the reign of Emperor Claudius II who was known to be a cruel ruler. The Emperor was mostly engaged in wars and men did not want to leave their families to join the army. Claudius believed that if they did not have families they would join his army. So he made a new law banning marriages and engagements. Valentine believed this was wrong as marriage was part of God’s plan and purpose for the world. So he defied the ban and married people in secret. When Claudius discovered this he ordered him to be arrested and beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. Valentine refused to give up marrying people according to God’s plan. Even in jail he continued to help people. He sent letters and notes to his parishioners. One person who came to visit him was the daughter of Asterius, the jailor. He cured her blindness and is believed to have been in love with her. The night before he was executed, he left her a note signed “From your Valentine.” During his time in prison he converted some of the guards and around 46 members of Asterius family to Christianity. There is no record of when he was arrested or martyred for his faith. It is believed that it may have been around 269 or 270 AD. He was buried on the Flaminian Way. Sometime between 333 and 356 AD, Pope Julius I build a Basilica at the site.

Saint Valentine, Bishop of Interamna:

The Eastern Orthodox Church recognises Valentine’s Day on July 30 in honor of Saint Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (Terni). His story is very similar to Saint Valentine of Rome. He was born and lived in Interamna (Terni). He was known to help people who were being persecuted by the Government. He was the first religious person to marry a non-Christian man to a Christian woman. He was famous for his support to Christians and was also known for miracles. On a visit to Rome, he was arrested and put in prison. He refused to give up his faith and was sentenced to death on February 14, 273 AD. He too was buried on the Flaminian Way. A few nights after his execution, his disciples found his body. They took it back to Interamna and buried it. He is the patron saint of Terni.

Saint Valentine of Africa:

Nothing much is known about the third Saint Valentine of Africa except that he too was martyred for his faith on February 14.

Feast day:

Back then February was a month associated with fertility and love. Ancient cultures would worship gods and hold festivals in their honor during this month. The Festival of Lupercus, the Roman god for fertility was celebrated in mid February. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I decided to put an end to this festival. He declared February 14 as Saint Valentine’s Day. Thus the feast came to be a celebration of love from thereon. Saint Valentine is also the patron saint for Epilepsy.