Zicoflex Under the rule of
Claudius the Cruel,
Rome was
involved in many
unpopular and
bloody campaigns.
The emperor had
to maintain a
strong army, but
was having a
difficult time
getting soldiers to
join his military
leagues. Claudius
believed that
Roman men were
unwilling to join
the army because
of their strong
attachment to
their wives and
families.
To get rid of the
problem, Claudius
banned all
marriages and
engagements in
Rome. Valentine,
realizing the
injustice of the
decree, defied
Claudius and
continued to
perform
marriages for
young lovers in
secret.
When Valentine’s
actions were
discovered,
Claudius ordered
that he be put to
death. Valentine
was arrested and
dragged before
the Prefect of
Rome, who
condemned him to
be beaten to
death with clubs
and to have his
head cut off. The
sentence was
carried out on
February 14, on or
about the year
270.
Legend also has it
that while in jail,
St. Valentine left
a farewell note
for the jailer’s
daughter, who
had become his
friend, and signed
it “From Your
Valentine.”
For his great
service, Valentine
was named a
saint after his
death.
In truth, the exact
origins and
identity of St.
Valentine are
unclear. According
to the Catholic
Encyclopedia, “At
least three
different Saint
Valentines, all of
them martyrs, are
mentioned in the
early
martyrologies
under the date of
14 February.” One
was a priest in
Rome, the second
one was a bishop
of Interamna
(now Terni, Italy)
and the third St.
Valentine was a
martyr in the
Roman province
of Africa.
Legends vary on
how the martyr’s
name became
connected with
romance. The
date of his death
may have become
mingled with the
Feast of
Lupercalia, a
pagan festival of
love. On these
occasions, the
names of young
women were
placed in a box,
from which they
were drawn by
the men as
chance directed.
In 496 AD, Pope
Gelasius decided
to put an end to
the Feast of
Lupercalia, and he
declared that
February 14 be
celebrated as St
Valentine’s Day.
Gradually,
February 14
became a date for
exchanging love
messages, poems
and simple gifts
such as flowers.