Saint Valentine of Rome

Claudius, fearing that these words might stir up some trouble or sedition in the city, abandoned the Martyr to the prefect, who immediately placed him in the hands of the judg e Asterius, t juge Astérius Roman prefect in Marseille who judged Victor. o be examined and punished as a sacrilegious person. The latter first had the prisoner taken to his house. When Valentine entered, he raised his heart to heaven and prayed to God that it might please Him to enlighten those who walked in the darkness of paganism, by making them know Jesus Christ, the true light of the world. Asterius, who heard all this, said to Valentine: "I admire your prudence greatly; but how can you say that Jesus Christ is the true light?" — "He is not only," said Valentine, "the true light, but the only light that enlightens every man coming into this world." — "If that is so," said Asterius, "I shall soon put it to the test: I have here a little adopted daughter who has been blind for two years; if you can heal her and restore her sight, I will believe that Jesus Christ is the light and that He is God, and I will do whatever you wish."

The young girl was therefore brought to the Martyr, who, placing his hand upon her eyes, offered this prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, who are the true light, enlighten your servant." At these words, she immediately received her sight, and Asterius and his wife, throwing themselves at the feet of their benefactor, begged him to tell them what they must do to be saved, since they had obtained through his favor the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Saint commanded them to break all the idols they possessed, to fast for three days, to forgive all those who had offended them, and finally to be baptized, assuring them that, by this means, they would be saved. Asterius did everything that had been commanded, released the Christians he held prisoner, and was baptized with his entire family, which consisted of forty-six people.

The emperor, warned of this change, feared some sedition in Rome, and, for reasons of state, had Asterius and all those who had been baptized seized, then had them put to death by various kinds of torments. As for Valentine, the father and master of these blessed children and disciples, after having been for a long time in a narrow prison, he was beaten and broken with knotted sticks; finally, in the year 268, on February 14, he was beheaded on the Flaminian Way, where, subseq uently, Pope pape Jean Ier Friend of Boethius and recipient of his theological treatises before his pontificate. John I had a church built under his invocation near the Ponte-Mole. This church having been ruin ed, Pope Theo pape Théodose Mentioned as a pope who dedicated a new church. dore dedicated a new one, of which no traces remain either. The gate called today the People's Gate formerly bore the name of the holy Martyr. The greater part of his relics are kept in the church of Saint Praxedes . The others w Sainte-Praxède Location where the majority of the relics are preserved. ere brought to France, to the church of Saint-Pierre in Melun-sur-Sei ne, but they ar Melun-sur-Seine A location in France that housed relics. e no longer found there today.

Saint Valentine is named, with the title of illustrious Martyr, in the Sacramentary of Saint Gregory saint Grégoire Pope and author providing details on the life of Galla. , in the Roman Missal of Tommasi, and in various martyrologies and calendars: the English have retained him in theirs.

Saint Valentine has been depicted: 1st, holding a sword and a palm, symbols of his martyrdom; 2nd, healing the daughter of the judge Asterius. This circumstance of the healing of a young girl, and even more his name Valentine, which signifies health and vigor, explains why the betrothed, young people to be married, those who fear the onset of the plague, and finally, persons subject to epilepsy and fainting spells have placed themselves under his patronage. It was also claimed that, in certain climates, birds paired up for the coming beautiful season on Saint Valentine's Day, just as it is accepted that in other, colder countries they pair up on Saint Joseph's Day. Saint Valentine's Day was famous in the ancient calendars; at a time when the duties of civil life were intertwined with those of religious life, and when one could not procure an almanac, as today, for a few cents, one took a little more trouble to fix the elements of the calendar: each day was marked by a sign that spoke immediately to the eyes of the initiated. Thus, Saint Valentine's Day was marked by a sun in the hand of the Saint, or by a waffle iron: a sun, because it was supposed to regain its strength at this time, which is approximately that of the Spring Ember Days, and because the earliest flowers (almond trees, hazel trees, etc.) begin to appear in part of Europe; a waffle iron, to announce the festivities of Carnival.

Saint Valentine is the patron saint of Tarascon Tarascon Principal site of the apostolate and burial of Saint Martha. , in Provence.