Feburary 2026 "St Valentine Day"

In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire was being invaded by Goths.  At the same time, the Plague of Cyprian, probably smallpox, broke out killing at its height 5,000 people a day.  So many died that the Roman army was depleted of soldiers.  Needing more soldiers to fight the invading Goths, and believing that men fought better if they were not married, Emperor Claudius II banned traditional marriage in the military.  Saint Valentine was either a priest in Rome or a bishop in Terni, central Italy.  He risked the Emperor's wrath by standing up for traditional marriage, secretly marrying soldiers to their young brides.  When Emperor Claudius demanded that Christians deny their consciences and worship pagan idols, Saint Valentine refused.  Saint Valentine was arrested, dragged before the Prefect of Rome, and he condemned him to die.  While awaiting execution, his jailer, Asterius, asked Saint Valentine to pray for his blind daughter.  When she miraculously regained her sight, the jailer converted and was baptized, along with many others.  Right before his execution, Saint Valentine wrote a note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "from your Valentine."  Saint Valentine was beaten with clubs and stones, and when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269 AD.  In 496 AD Pope Galasius designated February 14th as "Saint Valentine's Day."  Saint Valentine's heroic, loving example still inspires believers to follow the Scripture:  "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."