Written by Hubert Odias

Today is Feb. 14, day of the lovers.  How did this love day celebration come about?  Who was Valentine?

As we celebrate love day, we are honoring Valentine’s legacy. Well, let’s delve into this cultural celebration of romance and love to uncover some facts about it.  According to church tradition, Valentine was a priest near Rome, Italy in about 270 AD.  During that time, the Roman Emperor, Claudius II, had issued a decree forbidding marriages. That was during the heyday of the Roman Empire.

When Claudius became emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families and, thus, would not make good soldiers.  So to ensure quality soldiers, he banned marriages.  Displeased with the emperor’s decree, Valentine defied and circumvented the marriage ban.

As a bishop, Valentine saw the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony.  When the emperor learned the news of those secret marriages, he ordered Valentine arrested.

Nonetheless, the emperor had an idea to which he thought Valentine would agree. Impressed with the young priest’s dignity and conviction, the emperor attempted to convert him to the Roman gods to save him from an imminent execution.  Valentine flatly refused to recognize Roman gods and even tried to convert the emperor, knowing fully the consequences. 

So on Feb. 24, 270, Valentine was executed.  He, thus, became a patron saint and a spiritual overseer of an annual festival of young Romans who offered women they admired handwritten greetings of affection on Feb. 14, a tradition that continues today. 

Every Feb. 14, love is in the air.  It is customary for lovers to show their affection to their partners by exchanging cards, chocolate and flowers.  This practice has become a culture that began a year after the execution of Valentine.

Love implies sacrifices.  It requires dedication and a life of selflessness and courage.  Valentine symbolized virtue, family values and heroism in his effort toward relieving the plight of young lovers. By so doing, he offered himself as a sacrificial lamb and became a martyr. Accordingly, we must reflect on Valentine’s effort and sacrifice by initiating our own.

Valentine was a hero and a love icon. His love serves as a benchmark. For example, our relationships or marriages sometimes face difficult times. One way we can resolve our love issues is by applying Valentine’s model. Otherwise, Feb. 14 today would seem somewhat insignificant. To that effect, we must reexamine ourselves and recommit to our lovers or spouses to make Valentine’s Day something worth celebrating. Happy Valentines Day!