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| Saturday, March 18, 2000 |
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THIS is in response to the article, "Exeunt Saint, merchant cometh" by Manpreet Singh( February 12). St Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. This day at one time was celebrated as the feast of St Valentine. It was a religious holiday. For Christians in the past this holiday was a day to remember and celebrate the life and death of a Christian martyr. According to church tradition, St Valentine was a priest who lived near Rome in 270 A.D. At that time Roman Emperor Claudius II was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping Roman gods. During this persecution St Valentine was arrested. Some are of the view that he was arrested because he was performing secret Christian marriages, especially between lovers who were defying Claudius II. The Roman emperor had banned marriages for young single men for he felt that they made better soldiers. Others believe that St Valentine was arrested for helping Christians escape from prison. |
| During his trial St Valentine’s was
asked to give his views on Roman gods. St Valentine said
that they were false gods and Jesus was the only true
God. So the Romans threw him into prison for insulting
their gods. In prison St Valentine came across a guard who was a very good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked St Valentine if his God could help his daughter. St Valentine prayed and the girl gained her sight. The guard and his whole family began to believe in Jesus and all of them were baptised. When the emperor heard about this he was furious that St Valentine was converting people even in prison. So he had St Valentine beheaded. St Valentine knew that he might get caught while propagating Christianity. He knew that if he told the truth about the Roman gods he would be thrown in prison. In spite of all this he continued to preach the gospel of the Lord. He was willing to risk his life to free the prisoners and spread the message of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it. According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first ‘Valentine’ greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that St Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor’s daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is said that he wrote a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine" — an expression that is in use even today. Although it is difficult to ascertain how true these legends are, the fact remains that the stories certainly emphasise the saint’s appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and most importantly, a romantic figure. |
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