Valentinus- The Back Story!

Today is “Valentine’s Day.” Many overlook or don’t know the origin of Valentine’s Day and assume it is just a day to celebrate love.

The name Valentine is derived from the Latin word “Valens” which means worthy, strong, or powerful.

Valentinus was the name of a man who lived in Rome during the reign of Claudius II. It was a time when Christians were being persecuted.

Valentinus was not a Christian, but history records how he was willing to help them. Valentinus was caught and put into prison. In prison, he became a believer in Jesus. While he was in prison, he sent messages to his friends saying, “Remember your Valentine!” and “I love you.”

The story gets ugly because his newfound faith led to Valentinus being sentenced to death.

Today, celebrate the greatest love of all, God’s love for you! “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)