On February 14, around the year 270 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, is said to have been executed. He helped inspire the holiday of Valentine's Day. A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine — one of them, anyway. The Romans executed two men by that name on Feb. 14 of different years in the third century. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide LIFESTYLE On this day in history, February 14, 270 AD, Valentine beaten, beheaded for defying emperor's marriage ban Saint Valentine's Day roses and romance contrast sharply with grisly death of The Feast of Saint Valentine, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496 to be celebrated on February 14 in honour of the Christian martyr. [41] A shrine of Saint Valentine in Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. February 14 is Saint Valentine's Day in the Lutheran calendar of saints. [12] So while the original St. Valentine was likely tortured and beheaded on February 14th, his sacrifice for the Christian faith has become the Valentine’s Day we have today. Tags Over the millennia, Valentine’s Day has seen more than its fair share of pivotal events, including brutal executions, bombing campaigns and military engagements. From the death of Richard II in 1400 to the firebombing of Dresden in 1945, here are 10 historic events that occurred on Valentine’s Day. 1. Saint Valentine is executed (c. 270 AD) St. Valentine (died 3rd century, Rome; feast day February 14) was the name of one or two legendary Christian martyrs whose lives seem to have a historical basis. Although the Roman Catholic Church continues to recognize St. Valentine as a saint of the church, he was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969 because of the lack of reliable St. Valentin, Basilica of Saint Praxedes in Rome (© Vatican News) The Roman Martyrology lists not one, but two Valentines, for February 14 th.The first reads thus: "On February 14 th, on the Via Flaminia in Rome, St Valentine, priest and martyr, after performing various healing miracles, and known for his culture, was killed by decapitation under Claudius Caesar." St. Valentine - whether priest or bishop - was martyred on February 14, now celebrated as Valentine's Day. According to most accounts, he was beaten and then beheaded, after a time of imprisonment. Local devotion to him spread, and Pope Julius I had a basilica dedicated to the saint built approximately two miles from Rome, over Valentine's The first St. Valentine was a priest and physician in Rome. He along with St. Marius and his family comforted the martyrs during the persecution of Emperor Claudius II, the Goth. Eventually, St. Valentine was also arrested, condemned to death for his faith, beaten with clubs, and finally beheaded on Feb. 14, AD 270. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration in his 1375 poem “Parliament of Fowls,” writing, “For this was sent on Seynt Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is this history. New strain in Calif. Get the USA TODAY app Start the day smarter ☀️ 🐍Year of the Snake 270 St. Valentine dies giving birth to Valentine's Day (some sources say 269, others 273) 869 Saint Cyril [Constantine], Greek Byzantine Christian monk, missionary to the Slavs, scholar, linguist, and namesake of the Cyrillic alphabet, dies at about 42 (birthdate unconfirmed)27) 1317 Marguerite of France, queen of Edward I of England (b. 1282) Death on Valentine's Day Documentary Aug 11, 2018 42 min Prime Video Available on Pluto TV, Prime Video St. Kitts and Nevis; Trinidad and Tobago; Venezuela (Español) The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre shocked the world on February 14, 1929, when Chicago’s North Side erupted in gang violence. were shot to death by several men dressed as policemen on the St. Valentine, a name that is synonymous with love and romance across the globe, lived at a time when the Roman Empire was at its zenith. He is often best remembered for the act of marrying couples in secret defiance of the Roman Emperor's bans. However, the truth about St. Valentine is far more complex, woven from a mixture of historical fragments, religious tradition, and folklore. This has Valentine’s Day, in fact, originated as a liturgical feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr, or perhaps two. So, how did we get from beheading to betrothing on Valentine’s Day? Early origins of St. Valentine. Ancient sources reveal that there were several St. Valentines who died on Feb. 14. Today I look back on historical events that occurred on February 14, the date of St. Valentine’s Day. First Recognition of the “Stars-and- Stripes” by a Foreign Government, 14 February 1778 On 14 February 1778, the Continental Navy sloop Ranger , commanded by Captain John Paul Jones, received the salute of a French squadron under La Motte Tried twice for allegedly killing his wife, former hard-charging prosecutor Curtis Lovelace speaks out about the case that made national headlines. "48 Hours St. Valentine. Valentine’s Day is rooted in the feast day of St. Valentine which honors the martyrs as explained below. When is Valentine’s Day? It is always celebrated on February fourteenth. Learn more about the Communion of Saints and How the Saints Pray for You.
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