Find Christian love through St Valentine

The Story of Saint Valentine of Rome and Christian Love.

Apparently Emperor Claudius was hard-hearted king given to bloody warfare. But in order to keep fighting, he needed to keep recruiting soldiers. Many men were reluctant to enlist in the army because they did not want to leave their wives and lovers behind. Claudius therefore banned engagements and marriages in Rome and issued death threats to any clergy who married young couples.

Christian Marriage in Rome

Young lovers found a savior in Valentine or Valentinus a priest with a romantic soul. Risking his life, Valentine opposed the imperial order and secretly arranged marriages with the aid of S Marius. In consequence, Valentinus was imprisoned and executed on February 271 AD. Sainthood was granted and he became the patron of lovers.

Christian love triumphs.

In 498 AD the martyred Valentine was adopted by the church to replace the pagan festival of Lupercalia. The church often found this was a good method to provide new converts with familiar celebrations and of course Pope Gelasius readily substituted Valentine for the pagan idols.

So when you send your love a gift or a card on Valentine’s day you are expressing a tradition that has been part of the Christian church for more than 1500 years. So celebrate your love with www.christianlovematch.com – your Christian dating friend.