St. Valentine (Feb.14)

Feb 13, 2012 by SS

February 14:

Saint Valentine of Rome

Patron Saint of

Travelers, Against Plagues

Saint Valentine, Patron Saint of Travelers

Extract from The Legend of St. Valentine: “The date of this Saint Valentine’s birth is not known. Along with Saint Marius and his family, Saint Valentine assisted the martyrs during the persecution they suffered under the rule of Claudius II (also known as Claudius the Goth and Claudius the Cruel). In addition, since Rome was at the time involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns, the emperor found it difficult to recruit the male populace into joining his military leagues. Believing this to be because Roman men were adverse to leaving their loved ones or their familes, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements within the City of Rome. Saint Valentine and Saint Marius, however, continued to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. When is was discovered that Saint Valentine was defying the emperor’s decree, he was apprehended and dispatched by Claudius to the Prefect of Rome who, being unable to force the saint to renounce Christianity, ordered that Valentine be clubbed, stoned and then beheaded. According to tradition, while Valentine waited in prison for his execution, he corresponded with those under his care by sending letters and love notes to his parishioners. It is also believed that while incarcerated, the Bishop fell in love with a young woman who visited him during his confinement. According to some sources, this was the blind daughter (whose name may have been Julia) of of Asterius, the jailer. It is said tht God enabled Valentine to miraculously restore the girl’s sight. Popular belief indicates that Valentine’s farewell message to his love contained a closing that has now transcended time: ‘”From Your Valentine.’” See PICTURE of St. Valentine. PRAYER to St. Valentine.

Saint Valentine, Patron Saint Against Plagues

Extract from Saint Valentine: “The celebrations of St. Valentine’s Day are steeped in legend and mystery; indeed the motives behind the day’s creation and even St. Valentine himself have been shrouded in controversy and doubt. Saint Valentine’s Day embraces a time of year that is historically associated with love and fertility. It encompasses the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera in Ancient Athens and the Ancient Roman festival of Lupercus, the god of fertility. The priests of Lupercus would perform a traditional purification ritual, slaughtering goats to the god, and after consuming wine, they would run through the streets of Rome holding aloft the skins of the goats touching anyone they met. The occasion compelled floods of young women to the streets in the belief that being touched would improve their chances of conceiving and bring forth easy childbirth. . . . It is believed that the young priest rose to distinction after betraying Emperor Claudius in 270 AD by conducting illegitimate wedding ceremonies in the capital. Emperor Claudius claimed that married men made poor soldiers and consequently decreed that all marriages of younger citizens would be outlawed. Bishop Valentine, however, maintained that marriage was part of God’s plan and purpose for the world. He continued to conduct marriages in secret between young people, sometimes as young as twelve, in the name of love. His success gained him unwelcome notoriety, which became Bishop Valentine’s downfall. He was jailed and ultimately beheaded, but not before he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. It is thought that on the evening of his execution the bishop passed her a note which read ‘from your Valentine’. This story has blossomed into the defining tradition of Valentine’s Day.” See PICTURE of Saint Valentine. See also: Saint Valentine: Patron Saint of Travelers, Against Plagues, Saint Valentine of Rome, (EN), Saint Valentine (Multilingual), Valentín, Santo (SP), San Valentino Martire (IT), Petite histoire de la Saint Valentin (FR), Św. Walenty (PO). VIDEOS: St. Valentine, Martyr, for Love – Beliefnet.com, Story of Saint Valentine. PRAYER to St. Valentine.

Saint Valentine, Patron Saint of Travellers

Extract from St. Valentine: “Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they’re expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer’s blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer’s daughter, signing it, “From your Valentine.” St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travelers, and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.”See picture: St. Valentine Heals the Epileptics and Rebukes the Worshippers of False Gods, and Prayer to St. Valentine.

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The Missionaries of Mercy and our collaborators have prayed for the intercession of St. Valentine of Rome on behalf of those affected by the following disasters:

Zanzibar Ferry Disaster near Zanzibar (July 18, 2012) (Africa) See World Mission Rosary Intentions: July 30 – August 12, 2012.

Rabaul Queen Ferry Accident in Papua New Guinea (February 2, 2012) (Oceania) See World Mission Rosary Intentions: February 13 – February 26, 2012.

Cholera in Haiti. (February, 2011) (Ongoing) (America) See World Mission Rosary Intentions: February 14 – February 27, 2011)

Train collision in Belgium (February 15, 2010) (Europe) See World Mission Rosary Intentions: March 1 – March 14, 2010.

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