ST. VALENTINE - NOT JUST A LOVERS´ DAY …
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED ON THIS DAY …?
AL CAPONE
February 14, 1929 – “Bloody Valentine” The mob hit known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place in Chicago on this day. In order to perpetrate the hit, members of Al Capone's gang reportedly fitted a Cadillac touring sedan to the speculations of the Chicago Police Department. Under the guidance of Capone's Lieutenant Ray Nitty, the murderers sought out the garage of one "Bugs" Moran with the intention of killing him. Fearing the possibility of misidentifying Mr. Moran, the henchman killed all seven of the men in the garage. Without the help of their modern-day Trojan Horse--the Cadillac Sedan which gang member Bryan Bolton claimed to have personally purchased from the Cadillac Car Company on Michigan Avenue in Chicago--the gang would not have been able to infiltrate "Bugs" Moran's garage with such veritable ease.
