St. Valentine's Day is a perfect occasion
to propagate the astounding story of this Saint. He was a bishop and martyr who
lived in the Roman Empire during the III th
century. He was a doctor but his spiritual needs
pushed him to become a priest. The Emperor forbade his soldiers at the
age from 18 to 37 to get married because he was persuaded that soldiers
without families are more devoted to their mission. St. Valentine broke
that prohibition and blessed marriages of these young legionaries. As a
consequence he was imprisoned, treated with disdain, humiliated.
Nevertheless he fell in love with a blind daughter of a warder.
According to the legend the girl regained her sight under the influence of St. Valentine's love. Unfortunately the Emperor found it out and sentenced him to death. Before the execution he wrote a letter to his beloved one, in which he wrote: "From your Valentine". He was killed on the 14th of February 269.
His attributes are birds, roses, goblet, sword.
He is represented as a bishop holding a goblet in his left hand and a sword in his right hand while he is curing a crippled boy.
Not many people know actually that he's a patron of patients suffering from epilepsy or mental diseases.
It's really interesting.:) I have to admitt that I didn't know this story.
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