concerned veterans for america

St. Valentines Day

There are a number of versions of the legend of St. Valentine; this is my favorite:
On February 14 around the year 278 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, was executed.
Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families.
To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.
Legend also has it that while in jail, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine.”
For his great service, Valentine was named a saint after his death.

Join the discussion

Further reading

blog soldier sanding in front of american flag

Movie of the Month for October

Troops, your viewing assignment for October is to watch the short film The Attendant. A whimsical, warm hearted feel-good short film, featuring...

blog soldier sanding in front of american flag

Movie of the Month for September

Troops, your viewing assignment for the month of September is to watch the Oscar winning short film The Neighbors’ Window. THE NEIGHBORS’...

blog soldier sanding in front of american flag

Movie of the Month for August

Troops, your viewing assignment for August is to watch the short film Alternative Math. A well-meaning math teacher finds herself trumped by a post...

Get Denny's Newsletter

Receive news and updates from Denny