Translated by Mrs Valentina B. Merritt of Brookwood from “The Light of the Nativity” - an Orthodox magazine for children and parents published in Ukraine.

LET US FIRST REVIEW the history of this feast according to popular legend.

In Rome, during the reign of Claudius II, there lived a priest named Valentine. Claudius forbade soldiers to marry, but disregarding the Emperor’s order Valentine secretly carried on marrying couples, and for this he was put into prison. Claudius ordered that he be put to death, but despite this (so the legend goes) Valentine continued writing love letters to the prison warden’s daughter. Before his execution, the young priest wrote her a farewell message bearing the brief phrase “From Valentine.” On receiving this message the girl, hitherto blind, recovered her sight. Ever since then, this day has been celebrated as a feast for lovers.

The holy Apostle John the Theologian, however, teaches that one must not automatically believe any and every spirit, but must first test it, to see whether it is from God; “for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (I John 4:). We too, then, shall try to test the spirit of this feast, and see whether it is from God. Therefore let us look to the source to which any pious Christian would turn: St. Dimitri of Rostov’s Lives of the Saints.

These events took place in the 3rd century, when the persecution of Christians which had first begun in the reign of Nero was still rife. The Empire was afraid that, as a foreign religion, Christianity would anger its “gods” and drive them away. Further, every Emperor bore the title “Pontificus Maximus” (greatest of all priests) and was a devoted pagan.

On the 6th July in the Lives of the Saints, we read of St Valentine being brought before the judge, not for conducting marriages for soldiers, but for confessing Christ as God. Let us listen to the conversation between the cruel Emperor Claudius, who had issued a decree that all Christians should be put to death, and the young priest Valentine:

“Why,” Claudius asked, “can you, living among our people, not agree with us? I have heard a great deal about your Christian teachings and I am surprised that you, an intelligent man, should believe the senseless fairy-tales of your faith.”

“If you knew about the grace of God,” Valentine answered, “which is to be found within our faith, you would accept it with joy, and you and all your people would reject your false idols, made by human hands, and would confess the one almighty God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son, the Creator of all the sky, the earth, the sea and everything that is in them.”

“If Christ is God,” asked the Emperor, who was now listening very attentively, “then please will you tell me everything about Him?”

“O Emperor! If you listened to me, your soul would be saved, your empire would increase and your enemies would disappear, you would become all-conquering and you would enjoy your temporal kingdom here and, in the life to come, the eternal kingdom! Just do these things: repent over the blood of the saints you have shed, believe in Christ, and receive Holy Baptism.”

After listening to these words, Claudius handed Valentine over to one of his senior officials, Asterius, a man renowned for his intelligence, so that he could persuade Valentine that the pagan faith was superior to the Christian. When Valentine arrived at Asterius’ house, he started to pray that the Lord would bring that household to Himself, and give them light in their darkness, so that they would come to know God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When Asterius heard that prayer, he asked why Valentine called Christ “The Light.” The Saint replied that the Lord Jesus Christ is the True Light, Who enlightens every man who comes into the world.

“If, He enlightens every man,” replied Asterius, “then I shall now test the truth of what you say. I have a daughter, who lost her sight before she was two years old, and if you return her sight to her in the name of Christ, then I will do everything you ask of me.”