The origin of this holiday for the expression of love really isn't romantic at all -- at least not in the traditional sense.
Valentine of Terni became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197, at a time when there was Emperor Claudius II who persecuted the church at that particular time. He also had an edict that prohibited the marriage of young people. This was based on the hypothesis that unmarried soldiers fought better than married soldiers because married soldiers might be afraid of what might happen to them or their wives or families if they died.
We must bear in mind that it was a very permissive society in which Valentine lived. Polygamy would have been much more popular than just one woman and one man living together. And yet some of them seemed to be attracted to Yeshua followers’ Faith. But obviously the church thought that marriage was very sacred between one man and one woman for their life and that it was to be encouraged. And so it immediately presented the problem to Yeshua’s church of what to do about this.
The idea of encouraging them to marry within the church was what Valentine was about. And he secretly married them because of the edict.
Valentine was persecuted as a follower of Yeshua and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Yeshua’s follower instead. Because of this, he was executed. In the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution of a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation all because of his stand. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius. The jailer's daughter and his forty-four member household (family members and servants) came to believe in Yeshua and were baptized.
The story goes that the last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius' daughter. He inspired today's romantic missives by signing it, "from your Valentine."
What Valentine means, is that there comes a time where you have to lay your life upon the line for what you believe. And with the power of the Mighty Holy Ghost we can do that -- even to the point of death.
Valentine's martyrdom has not gone unnoticed by the general public. Valentine has come to be known as the patron saint of lovers. Before you enter into a marriage you want some sense ofYahweh El Elyon Yeshua in your life -- some great need of the Most High God in your life. And we know, particularly in the modern world, many people are meeting Yahweh El Elyon through His Son, Yeshua.
If Valentine were here today, he would say to married couples that there comes a time where you're going to have to suffer. It's not going to be easy to maintain your commitment and your vows in marriage. Don't be surprised if the 'gushing' love that you have for someone changes to something less "gushing" but maybe much more mature. And the question is, is that young person ready for that?
So on the day of the marriage they have to take that into context. Love -- human love and sexuality is wonderful, and blessed by Yahweh Elyon Yeshua -- but also the shadow of the cross. Maybe that's what Valentine means.
by Dimitrios Toris
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