Long before heart-shaped boxes and red roses, there was a man named Valentine who lived in third-century Rome under the rule of Emperor Claudius II.
According to historical accounts and early Christian tradition, Claudius believed single men made better soldiers than married ones. So he outlawed marriage for young men.
But Valentine — a Christian priest — defied the emperor. He secretly performed weddings for soldiers and their brides, believing that love was sacred and that no government had the right to forbid a covenant God had created.
Under the cover of night, in quiet places away from Roman authorities, he united couples in marriage — knowing full well it could cost him his life.
Eventually, it did. Valentine was arrested, imprisoned, and later executed for refusing to renounce his faith and his convictions. His death became a testimony of sacrificial love—not romantic love alone, but courageous, covenant-keeping love. The God kind of love.
