I’m not sure if I ever really learned the history of Valentine’s Day or the story of Saint Valentine as a child.    We are never too old to learn history!  Yes, there was a man in Ancient Roma named St. Valentine.  He was a Roman priest and physician who was martyred during the persecution of Christians by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus about 270.  According to legend, St. Valentine signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and healed from blindness.  Another legend claims that he defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples in order to spare the husbands from being sent to serve in war (Britanica.com/Valentine).

In the Catholic Church, Saint Valentine is the Patron Saint of Marriage. MyCatholicKids.com posted this simple way (by Theresa) to tell our littles his story, using first person:

“Hi, I’m Saint Valentine. I lived a long time ago when Claudius II was the ruler of Rome. There were two important things to know about this king. First, Claudius II did not like Christians. Second, he loved having lots of soldiers to fight in his wars!

Claudius II thought having soldiers for his wars was so important that he made a law that people couldn’t get married. Claudius II thought that if young boys got married and had families they would not want to go off and fight in his wars.

This made things really tricky for the Christians following God. First, they knew that God wanted them to worship Him, not the false gods of Claudius II. Second, they knew that God wanted them to get married and start families.

I, Saint Valentine, had the special job of being God’s helper during this time. I was a priest, so I would marry the men and women who wanted to get married. This is why I am called the patron saint of love and marriage”.

I wanted to find a book about his life to share with the boys, and I did!  I ordered a children’s book called “Saint Valentine, Book for Toddlers” by Sophia Valentvia. This book for toddlers is also beautifully scripted for adults!  Sophia Valentvia explains why we celebrate “love” each year on February 14.  Why do we send sweet messages and gifts, give chocolates or flowers, and express affection to those who are dear to us?  The real history of this day goes back to a man named Valentine whose story is one of love, kindness and bravery.

As I was reading through the book and thinking about this man’s legacy, I was saddened by the fact that this is yet another holiday where a faith foundation has been replaced by commercialism.  We can consider this an opportunity as parents/grandparents of faith to teach and share with our littles. We can celebrate those we love on this special day, and we can teach them about what it means to stand up for what we believe in at the same time.    Our kids are certainly going to find themselves in situations where they are going to have to defend their faith….and giving them examples of others will only help and strengthen them in those moments.

So, as we Book Time With our Kids this week, let’s read stories of love and kindness and tell them how much we love them, with both words and actions. Let’s be especially intentional with assuring them of God’s love for them.  And then, let’s teach them about the legacy of a man named Saint Valentine- “a man with a big heart who taught us all that love is a gift we should share every day” (Saint Valentine Book for Toddlers).

I was in a sweet coffee shop yesterday with a precious friend. On the wall was this quote: “If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and LOVE YOUR FAMILY”, Mother Teresa. What a lovely reminder of what Valentine’s Day is all about.

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