Who is St. Valentine?
History in Brief
St. Valentine was a Christian who died for his faith before 312 AD. Thus 1700 years ago Valentine so epitomized love that we remember a day focused on love every year.
In brief he was a Christian missionary who was put to death because he...
1. He loved lost people and would not stop witnessing to people.
2. He loved God and would not deny Him.
3. He believed in the importance of Marriage and was willing to risk his life for that sacred gift to humanity.
Valentine ministered in Rome during the time of Claudius who was cruel and persecuted Christians. Claudius was having trouble getting soldiers for his army. Many men did not want to leave their families for years at a time. Claudius’s solution? He banned marriage. No one was allowed to marry or perform weddings. St Valentine believed marriage to be a God given institution, and necessary for the good of mankind so Valentine disobeyed that law and was performing marriages in secret. For that He was arrested tried and ultimately executed.
4. He send letters to people who were lost witnessing to them about God’s love for them even while he was in prison for witnessing.
The Bible Says: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:13)
God showed us this love by coming in Christ to die for our sins. And St. Valentine demonstrated this love when he died for his friends. This is the kind of love that Valentine's Day is really about.
During his time in prison Valentine continued to minister to the city of Rome and he wrote constantly. The city was filled with little notes of encouragement written by God’s evangelist who would not let the bars hold back his witness. He would always sign his notes Love Valentine. Thus these notes were referred to as Valentines love notes.
The world today as in Valentines era needs love. They run after all kinds of love and yet God is still there offering His perfect love to those who will receive it.
This is the kind of love that Valentine's Day is really about!
God has proposed marriage to everyone who will accept Him.
They will live in a faithful love relationship with Him and will be infinitely blessed by HIS Great Love.