The story goes back the 2nd Century A.D. when Christians were persecuted by the Roman government. Christian marriages and other ceremonies were absolutely forbidden. The legend has it that Claudius II was trying to raise an army in Rome. It was his belief that married men would not make good soldiers because they would always be worried about their wives and children back home. To raise men for the army he forbid young men to marry. The punishment for any priest who would perform a marriage ceremony would be death!
Saint Valentine fervently believed in love and the idea that marriage was a holy state, St. Valentine performed marriage ceremonies, placing his allegiance to God before the Government in Rome. The good saint was caught performing a marriage and was hauled into prison and after a trial before the emperor, beheaded. It is celebrated on February 14th because it was upon this day that Saint Valentine was supposed to have been executed for performing marriages.
Fern G. Brown's, Valentine's Day
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