THE FIRST VALENTINE

Saint Valentine is a widely recognized third-century Roman saint who is celebrated in many countries around the world on the February 14 each year as Valentine's day.

There are several stories associated with him as a priest and as a physician; the most popular version of Saint Valentine’s life is that during the third century in Rome, Emperor Claudius II concluded that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he proscribed marriage for young men.

Valentine in defiance of the order of the Emperor was performing marriages in secret for young lovers. Eventually, he was caught and arrested, and Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Another legend suggests that Valentine was martyred for helping Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were beaten and tortured.

One common feature of the two versions is that he was the one who sent the first valentine, to the jailer's daughter whom he fell in love with while he was  in prison awaiting his execution.

The jailer's daughter had been blind since birth, one day during their prayer time she was miraculously healed of her blindness.

The night before he was beheaded, he sent a  love note  to her, asking her to always remain near to God and continually thankful for her healing. The message was signed:

                                                       "From Your Valentine."