Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day 
why do we celebrate it?

         In the United States Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th annually. It is the day and holiday celebrating love. Many people just know it as a day of love and admiration celebrating someone you care for or love. But if you ask most people why we celebrate Valentine's Day most people will come up blank.
         

Saint Valentine

        Saint Valentine was a priest in ancient Rome. He is best know for his defile of Claudius II, or Claudius the Cruel, which led him to beheaded on February 14th. Claudius II outlawed marriage when he had trouble recruiting new soldiers. He believed he was having trouble getting new soldiers because they were marrying or already married and didn't want to leave their families behind. To prevent this from carrying on further he outlawed engagements and marriages. St. Valentine disagreed with Claudius II's judgement and continued to marry young couples in secret. When Claudius II found out what Valentine was doing he sentenced him to death by beheading. 

New Holiday

         Valentine's Day has now developed into a day of celebrating St. Valentine for standing up for what he believed was right. He stood up for love and defied Emperor Claudius II to help couples. Now we spend the day exchanging gifts with the people we love. St. Valentine was a brave and wonderful person to fight for what was right although he knew the consequences for getting caught. Valentine's Day is now a day of love across the world and is celebrated in many different ways to honor Saint Valentine's sacrifice.