Valentine’s Day is Saturday, and it offers a simple opportunity to pause and reflect.
Who do you think of on Valentine’s Day?
What have you planned for your special Valentine?
How will you celebrate?
And why do we celebrate this day at all?
The who, what, and how are deeply personal, so I will leave those to each of you. For those who have not yet given it much thought, consider this a friendly reminder: make it a meaningful day for yourself and for those you love.
As a lifelong Catholic, I find myself especially curious about the why behind Valentine’s Day. If my understanding is correct, St. Valentine was a third-century Roman priest who was martyred around 270 A.D. According to popular tradition, he defied Emperor Claudius II, who had forbidden young men to marry under the belief that unmarried soldiers fought more effectively. Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies in secret, was eventually arrested and imprisoned, and ultimately executed on February 14.
Legend also tells us that while imprisoned, Valentine befriended his jailer’s blind daughter, restored her sight, and before his death wrote her a final letter signed, “Your Valentine.”
To this day, St. Valentine is honored as the patron saint of engaged couples, happy marriages, love, and young people.
So, as you make your plans for Saturday, remember the beautiful story of a devout priest who gave his life for doing what he believed was right. Few things express love for another more profoundly than that.
