"ST. VALENTINE" CUSTOMS & LEGENDS ST. VALENTINES DAY St. Valentine's day is every year on February the 14th and is dedicated to lovers. Let's just make sure that Valentine's Day is an extra special day to display even more love than usual to those around us.   ST. VALENTINE CUSTOMS Through the ages, many cultures have paused to celebrate love and romance in mid-February. Did you know that the current popularity of St. Valentines day owes much to the modern postal services? The cost of posting was very expensive the 1800s, even worse, the postal service demanded payment from the recipient not from the sender of the letter. St Valentines day greeting's card are still very popular but red roses and chocolates now often accompany the card.  A young girl was supposed to marry, eventually, the first eligible male she met on this day. If a girl was curious and brave enough she could conjure up the appearance of her future spouse by going to the graveyard on St. Valentine's Eve at midnight. She would then sing a prescribed chant and run around the church twelve times. In England, little children went about singing of St. Valentine and collecting small gifts. It was also customary to place valentines on their friends' doorsteps. ST. VALENTINE LEGEND Who was Valentine? This question is not an easy one to answer. There appears to be differing ideas on the subject. According to one legend, Valentinus ignored a decree from Emperor Claudius 11 that forbade all marriages and betrothals. Caught in the act, Valentinus was imprisoned and sentenced to death for secretly conducting several wedding ceremonies. <^> <^> <^> Here are some other beliefs ... Valentine was a Roman priest who was martyred during the persecution of Claudius the Goth around A.D. 269 or 270 and buried on the Flaminian Way. Valentine was a bishop of Terni martyred in Rome. Valentine as a young man, helped Christians during a time of persecution. He was caught and put in jail, became a believer there and was clubbed to death for this on February 14, 269. While in prison he is said to have sent messages to friends saying, "Remember your Valentine" and "I love you" In one story it is said that Valentine was a priest that secretly married couples, defying the law of Emperor Claudius which temporarily forbade marriages. Valentine was imprisoned for refusing to worship pagan gods. Making friends with the jailers daughter, he is said to have cured her through prayer, and on the date of his execution (Feb. 14th) he is said to have sent her a note signed "Your Valentine" The one thing we can be sure of is that at least one person by the name of Valentine did live and that he was killed for being a Christian. Beyond this we are on shaky ground. Return to Collection  <^> <^> <^>        <^> <^> <^>  Return to - Collection Return to - Enchanted Forest Glade