Saint Valentine is said to be a Roman Christian martyr who lived during the 3rd century CE. There are few details of his life and some believe that the legends of Saint Valentine consist of conflagrations of the lives of more than one man.
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Saint Valentine’s Story
He was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic church in 1969 due to this lack of solid information, but his feast day continues to be celebrated on February 14th. (Also, July 6 and July 30th, in different regions) He is one of the best known Saint among non-Catholics.
Saint Valentine is often said to have been a priest and physician who was martyred during Christian persecution under Claudius II Gothicus during the 270s CE. Others identify him as the Bishop of Terni, Italy. Some hold that both identities refer to the same man while other Valentines have been presented as possibilities. In truth, Valentinus was a popular name and Christian martyrdom wasn’t uncommon either. There are also several other Saint Valentines, so this one must be specified as Saint Valentine of Rome.
How Did it All Begin?
According to the legend, the Roman empire decided that married men made poor soldiers and forbade their military men to marry. Valentine defied the Emperor’s orders and married couples in secret. Another version simply says that he was performing Christian marriage ceremonies, where Christianity was frowned upon.
Either way, he was arrested, imprisoned and later executed. It is said that while Valentine was imprisoned, he healed his jailor’s daughter of blindness, encouraging the jailer to convert to Christianity. Thereafter he kept in touch with her, signing his letters, “from your Valentine”. Or maybe, he just went around converting people and annoyed the Emperor that way.
In the early 1800s, an excavation of the Roman catacombs uncovered remains attributed to Saint Valentine. The skull can be viewed in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. Many other places claim to host relics of Saint Valentine, including Terni, Whitefriar’s Street Chuch in Dublin, Ireland and Winchester.
The Patron Saint Valentine
Patron of: Lovers, betrothed couples, marriage, beekeepers, epilepsy (aka St Valentine’s malady or affliction) the plague, travel, chronic pain, disease and disabilities.
While Saints can be prayed to for intercession for any reason, one may particularly wish to ask Saint Valentine to intercede on their behalf in matters related to marriage and love, help to overcome obstacles to marriage, saving marriages that are falling apart, improving unhappy marriage situations, chronic pain, illness, and disability, epilepsy and genetic illnesses and birth defects.
Symbols used to petition Saint Valentine include a Saint Valentine Candle, Red Roses, Saint Valentine’s Key, Saint Valentine of Rome Medal
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