VALENTINE

Valentine was a leader in the church of Terni (a city in central Italy) during the third-century. He was imprisoned for his faith under a judge named Asterius. The judge came to Valentinus (Valentine’s Latin name) in order to discuss his faith in Jesus Christ. Judge Asterius decided to put Valentine's faith to the test and challenged the man to heal his adopted daughter’s blindness in the name of Jesus, which he did. Upon the girl's sight being restored, the judge humbled himself and he and his household (forty-four in all) became followers of Jesus. They smashed all the idols around their house and were baptized. Judge Asterius also freed all the Christians he had imprisoned in his district.

Later, Valentine was arrested again for refusing to cease evangelizing across northern Italy. This time Valentine was arrested under the authority of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Initially the Emperor liked Valentine, but was enraged when he tried to preach the gospel to him during their audience. The Emperor ordered that Valentine either renounce his faith or be beaten with clubs and then beheaded. Valentine refused to renounce his faith, so he was martyred outside the Flaminian Gate of Rome on February 14, 269 A.D.