There are two kinds of people in the world – the ones that think Valentine’s Day is a big deal and the ones that think that it’s just another day. This Valentine’s Day you will probably either send or receive a valentine from someone. More than a billion are expected to be given away in the United States alone. But just like many of our holidays, there’s a lot more to it than just cards and gifts. There’s a true-life story. It’s a story that teaches us a lot about love, sacrifice, and commitment—the true meaning of Valentine’s Day.
In the third century, Emperor Claudius II Gothicus ruled the Roman Empire. He was a very harsh leader and had a tendency to get into wars and abuse people, and hence, he was nicknamed Claudius the Cruel. In fact, he was getting into so many wars during the third century that he was having a difficult time recruiting enough soldiers. Recruiting soldiers for the army was a big obstacle for Claudius, and he blamed it on Roman men not wanting to leave their loves or families behind. In order to solve this, he canceled all marriages and engagements in Rome. Claudius dashed the hopes of thousands of marriages by just a single act. Nobody was going to stand up to Claudius.
A simple Christian priest named Valentine, however, did come forward and stood up for love. Before soldiers went off to war, he secretly began to marry soldiers and continued to defy the emperor’s orders until he was caught in 269 A.D. He had Valentine thrown into prison and sentenced him to death. Valentine fell in love with a girl – the jailer’s daughter – while awaiting execution. He is said to have – with no writing instruments available – written her a sonnet in ink that he squeezed from violets. If legend is to be believed, the jailer's blind daughter started to see again from the words Valentine wrote to her. This love was short lived because Valentine was clubbed to death by Roman executioners the very next day.
Valentine gave his life so that young couples could be bonded together in holy matrimony. Valentine’s death didn’t deter the spirit of the people. Even centuries after his death, the story of Valentine’s self-sacrificing commitment to love was legendary in Rome. Valentine was granted sainthood and there was a big feast created in his honor. February 14th was picked as the day of celebration because of the ancient belief that birds began to mate on that very day.
It’s surprising to know that Valentine’s Day is really founded on the concept of love in marriage. While giving a gift and card, having a candlelight dinner, and sharing special words of love are all important, the true spirit of Valentine’s Day should last throughout the year.
