Legend
has it that the holiday became Valentine's Day named after a
priest by the name of Valentine.
Valentine was a priest in Rome at the time Christianity was a
new religion.
The Emperor at
that time, Claudius II, ordered the Roman soldiers NOT to marry
or become engaged. Claudius believed that as married men, his
soldiers would want to stay home with their families rather than
fight his wars.
Valentine defied
the Emperor's decree and secretly married the young couples.
He was eventually
arrested, imprisoned, and put to death.
Valentine was
beheaded on February 14th, the eve of the Roman holiday Lupercalia.
After his death,
Valentine was named a saint.
As Rome became
more Christian, the priests moved the spring holiday from the
15th of February to the 14th - Valentine's Day.
Now the holiday
honored Saint Valentine instead of Lupercus. |
