Valentine's Day
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:44 am
I came across a rare old book at a used book store recently. The book is about 150 years old and is a Catholic daily devotional. Each day recounts the story of a Catholic saint and there are 365 stories, one for each day of the year.
The book is in French, Vies des Saints - ''Lives of Saints'' - and is in excellent condition. Here, from the entry for February 14th, is the story of Saint Valentine: (my translation)
Saint Valentine's virtue was so great that he was ordered arrested by Emperor Claudius II of Rome. After two days in prison, Saint Valentine appeared before Claudius II's tribunal: ''Why, Valentine, do you insist on being the friend of our enemies, and why do you reject our friendship?'' Emperor Claudius II asked. ''My lord,'' answered Saint Valentine, ''if you knew the gift of God, you would be happy, and your Empire as well; you would throw out your worthless idols and would adore the True God and His Son, Jesus Christ!'' One of the judges present asked our Martyr what he thought of Jupiter and Mercury. ''Miserable idols!'' answered Valentine, ''who spend their whole lives in debauchery and crime!'' Furious, the judge yelled: ''He has blasphemed against our gods and against our Empire!'' The Emperor, however, continued questionning Valentine, eager for this occasion to know what Christians thought. Valentine - unrepentant! - reprimanded the Emperor for the blood of Christians he had spilled! ''Believe in Jesus Christ and be baptized and so you will be saved!'' Valentine exhorted the Emperor, ''so that it will go well for your Empire and for your armies!'' Claudius II was intrigued by Valentine's earnestness and told the Court: ''Listen Judges! listen to the good doctrine this man preaches.'' But the Prefect exclaimed in anger, ''The Court sees how this Christian seduces our Prince! Our Emperor! seduced by a blasphemer!''
Claudius II, fearing an uprising, abandoned the Martyr who then had to appear before a new judge. ''How is this Jesus Christ a light?'' asked the judge. ''Not only is Jesus Christ a light,'' answered Valentine, ''He is the True Light, the Only Light!'' ''If this is true,'' said the judge, ''may your Jesus give my daughter her sight for she is blind; do this, and I and my whole family will believe.'' The child was summoned and entered the Court. Saint Valentine placed his hands over her eyes and prayed: ''O Jesus Christ, you who are the True Light, shine upon this child.'' As he said these words, the child received her sight. The judge, Asterius, with all his family confessed Jesus Christ and were later baptized.
The Emperor, hearing of this miracle, would have preferred to ignore these high-ranking conversions; but fear of his officials betrayed his sense of justice and conscience. Judge Asterius, his family and Saint Valentine were arrested and scourged. They were executed in the year 268 A.D. by Imperial order.
The book is in French, Vies des Saints - ''Lives of Saints'' - and is in excellent condition. Here, from the entry for February 14th, is the story of Saint Valentine: (my translation)
Saint Valentine's virtue was so great that he was ordered arrested by Emperor Claudius II of Rome. After two days in prison, Saint Valentine appeared before Claudius II's tribunal: ''Why, Valentine, do you insist on being the friend of our enemies, and why do you reject our friendship?'' Emperor Claudius II asked. ''My lord,'' answered Saint Valentine, ''if you knew the gift of God, you would be happy, and your Empire as well; you would throw out your worthless idols and would adore the True God and His Son, Jesus Christ!'' One of the judges present asked our Martyr what he thought of Jupiter and Mercury. ''Miserable idols!'' answered Valentine, ''who spend their whole lives in debauchery and crime!'' Furious, the judge yelled: ''He has blasphemed against our gods and against our Empire!'' The Emperor, however, continued questionning Valentine, eager for this occasion to know what Christians thought. Valentine - unrepentant! - reprimanded the Emperor for the blood of Christians he had spilled! ''Believe in Jesus Christ and be baptized and so you will be saved!'' Valentine exhorted the Emperor, ''so that it will go well for your Empire and for your armies!'' Claudius II was intrigued by Valentine's earnestness and told the Court: ''Listen Judges! listen to the good doctrine this man preaches.'' But the Prefect exclaimed in anger, ''The Court sees how this Christian seduces our Prince! Our Emperor! seduced by a blasphemer!''
Claudius II, fearing an uprising, abandoned the Martyr who then had to appear before a new judge. ''How is this Jesus Christ a light?'' asked the judge. ''Not only is Jesus Christ a light,'' answered Valentine, ''He is the True Light, the Only Light!'' ''If this is true,'' said the judge, ''may your Jesus give my daughter her sight for she is blind; do this, and I and my whole family will believe.'' The child was summoned and entered the Court. Saint Valentine placed his hands over her eyes and prayed: ''O Jesus Christ, you who are the True Light, shine upon this child.'' As he said these words, the child received her sight. The judge, Asterius, with all his family confessed Jesus Christ and were later baptized.
The Emperor, hearing of this miracle, would have preferred to ignore these high-ranking conversions; but fear of his officials betrayed his sense of justice and conscience. Judge Asterius, his family and Saint Valentine were arrested and scourged. They were executed in the year 268 A.D. by Imperial order.
