Every February 14, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged
between loved ones, all in the name of Saint Valentine. But who is this saint,
and where did these traditions come from?
The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different
saints named Valentine. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who
served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II outlawed
marriage for young men because he thought single men made better soldiers than
those with wives and families. Valentine, defied Claudius and continued to
perform marriages in secret. When his actions were discovered, Claudius ordered
that Valentine be put to death.
Another legend contends that an imprisoned Valentine actually
sent the first “valentine” greeting after he fell in love with a young girl,
probably his jailor’s daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before
his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your
Valentine”, an expression still used today. Although the truth behind the
Valentine legends is still a mystery, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a
sympathetic, heroic and most importantly, romantic figure.
My Happy Homeschool recommends learning through literature
about Valentine’s Day with the following books:
Valentine’s Day Is by Gail Gibbons
The Story of Valentine’s Day by Clyde Robert Bulla
My Valentine for Jesus by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
Happy Homeschooling!
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