The origins of the Valentine’s Day holiday had its beginnings towards the end of the Roman Empire 270 A.D. In fourth century B.C., the Roman empire had annual drawings where teenage girls put their names in a box and were randomly selected by young men. Young Roman men had to do this has a rite of passage for the God Lupercus. For eight hundred years, this practice continued until early church fathers sought to end it. For it was the bishop, Valentine, who helped end it.
The Roman Empire’s era of power began to unravel when the lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Internal conflicts began to wear down the Roman Empire. Outside pressure from the Gauls, Huns, Turks, and Mongolians began to put pressur on the boundaries of the Empire. In order to protect his empire, Claudius, the emperor of the time, realized that the army needed to be upgraded. Claudius believed that unmarried men would make better soldiers, so he decided to make a law that young men could not marry.
Seeing that many young soldiers were demoralized by this law; Valentine took it upon himself to help them. Valentine would secretly perform marriage ceremonies for the young soldiers. Valentine risked his life on a continual basis knowing that what he was doing was against Roman law. His scheme was eventually discovered was taken into custody. Claudius, impressed with Valentine’s dignity and conviction, offered to spare his life if he converted to worshipping Roman gods. Valentine refused the offer was sentenced to execution on February 24, 270.
While in prison, Valentine met a jailor named Asterius, who asked if he could heal his blind daughter. Asterius’s daughter had her vision miraculously restored by Valentine. Before his execution Asterius wrote a farewell message to Asterius’ daughter, “From your Valentine,” a phrase that lived ever after.
Valentine would become a patron saint which would eventually lead to a festival honoring him. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. Thus making Valentine’s Day celebrated around the world.
The Roman Empire’s era of power began to unravel when the lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Internal conflicts began to wear down the Roman Empire. Outside pressure from the Gauls, Huns, Turks, and Mongolians began to put pressur on the boundaries of the Empire. In order to protect his empire, Claudius, the emperor of the time, realized that the army needed to be upgraded. Claudius believed that unmarried men would make better soldiers, so he decided to make a law that young men could not marry.
Seeing that many young soldiers were demoralized by this law; Valentine took it upon himself to help them. Valentine would secretly perform marriage ceremonies for the young soldiers. Valentine risked his life on a continual basis knowing that what he was doing was against Roman law. His scheme was eventually discovered was taken into custody. Claudius, impressed with Valentine’s dignity and conviction, offered to spare his life if he converted to worshipping Roman gods. Valentine refused the offer was sentenced to execution on February 24, 270.
While in prison, Valentine met a jailor named Asterius, who asked if he could heal his blind daughter. Asterius’s daughter had her vision miraculously restored by Valentine. Before his execution Asterius wrote a farewell message to Asterius’ daughter, “From your Valentine,” a phrase that lived ever after.
Valentine would become a patron saint which would eventually lead to a festival honoring him. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. Thus making Valentine’s Day celebrated around the world.
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