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Valentine's Day! Who doesn’t celebrate it? A day of extra love when couples buy each other chocolates and flower bouquets, go on romantic dinner dates, and spend time with loved ones. Now, there is an alternative way of celebrating valentines for girls who are single called Galentines. But have you ever thought: Where did this come from?
Well here’s the thing: During the 3rd century AD, Emperor Claudius II ruled Rome and he believed that single men made better soldiers, as they didn't have families to worry about. In order to strengthen his army, the Emperor outlawed marriage for young men. Claudius II wanted his soldiers to have no distractions from their military duties, so he ordered that the soldiers were not allowed to marry and even made weddings illegal.
A Catholic priest named Valentine believed this new law to be unfair and unbiblical, so he defied Claudius II by continuing to perform weddings in secret for young couples. Once the Emperor found out, he immediately imprisoned Valentine for his insolence. Later on, he was sentenced to death on February 14.
Now here's the twist: Legends say that after Valentine was caught and put in jail, Valentine weaves a love story between him and his jailer's blind daughter named Julia. He converted her and the others in prison to christianity. There, Valentine prayed together with Julia, and God healed the girl's sight. On the night before he was executed, he wrote a note to Julia that he signed, "Love, from your Valentine.
Valentine was executed outside the Flaminian Gate in Rome. He was beaten, stoned, and beheaded. After his death, Valentine was declared a martyr and a saint by the Catholic Church. He then gained a reputation as the patron saint of lovers. This legend has been passed down through the centuries, and it's still celebrated on Valentine's Day, February 14.
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