spittle Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 According to an announcer on radio 2 (0625, feb 14th) "St Valentine was a Roman martyr who was executed in around 270 AD, under the rule of Claudius (?....Claudius, in 270?). The actual saint was beaten with sticks and beheaded, an aspect of St Valentine that will be unlikely to appear on any cards....yabba yabba yabba" Can anyone shed some light on this subject. The radio said very little and much of it seemed incorrect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Wasn't St. Valentine thrown off the Calendar of Saints? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 I believe that the Emperor would have been Claudius II (214-270) he died of a plague at Smyrna. From what I've read in a short synopsis of his life there is no mention of St. Valentine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Perhaps we should look into the more Latin rendering of Valentinus? "The sacrament of the bridal chamber more than any other feature of the Valentinian Gnosis gives us a clear indication of the psychological versus the theological character of Gnostic teaching and practice. The professed purpose of this rite is the individual and personal 'becoming one' of the soul of the initiate, and cosmic and eschatological considerations play no role in this. It is not abstract being or creation that is healed and unified in this sacrament but the interior being of a human individual..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 One account I read said that St. Valentine was a priest who secretly conducted marriage ceremonies for soldiers when marriage in the army was banned. I though the ban was lifted before the reign of Claudius Gothicus, though. Anyway, no - one sent ME a card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Commemorated on July 6 The Holy Martyrs Valentinus the Presbyter, Martha, Marinus, Audifax, Habakkuk, Cyrenus, Asterius and many others with them at Rome. During the reign of the emperor Claudius II (268-270), St Marinus together with his wife Martha and their sons Audifax and Habakkuk journeyed from Persia to Rome, to pray at the graves of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. During this time fierce persecutions and executions befell the Roman Church. St Marinus and his wife and sons helped Christians locked up in the prisons, and also to request the bodies of executed martyrs. At one of these jails they met a prisoner named Cyrenus and they helped him, since he had endured many torments for faith in Christ. The persecution spread, and even more Christians were arrested. During this time 260 Christians, among whom was the tribune Vlastus, had been sent under the court sentence to dig ground along the Salerian Way, and were executed by archers. When they learned about this vicious murder, Marinus, his family, and the presbyter John went by night and took the bodies of the martyrs to be buried in the catacombs. They returned later to the prison where St Cyrenus was incarcerated, but did not find him. He had been executed the day before and his body was thrown into the Tiber River. Doing their holy duty, Sts Marinus and Martha and their sons took the body of the holy martyr from the river and committed it to the earth. The holy workers were among Christians, who continued secretly to perform the divine services under the leadership of the holy Bishop Callistus, and hid them from their pursuers. In consummation of their great charitable deeds the holy family was deemed worthy to glorify the Lord by martyrdom. The pagans beheaded the courageous confessor Valentinus the Presbyter, and the imperial gardener Asterius who had been converted by him, and the holy ascetics from Persia were arrested and given over to torture. By order of the emperor, Sts Marinus, Audifax and Habakkuk were beheaded in the year 269, and St Martha was drowned in a river. The relics of the holy saints are in Rome at the Church of St John the Hut-Dweller, and the relics of St Valentinus are in the Church of the holy Martyr Paraskeva. Here is the account from the Lives of the Saints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Looks like I was wrong earlier. Take a peek: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15254a.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzhannah Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 well done Julian, good bit of research. & Northern Neil, still waiting for my card also, even tho am married, still they forget the romance, would end this with 'bloody men' but dont want to upset so many of you bril guys on this sight who assist so well suzhannah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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