14Feb
Valentinos the priest
Saint Valentinos was from Rome, well known for his education, wisdom and priestly zeal to gain people to Christ Jesus. He was captured by king Claudios II and thrown into prison enchained; where the king tried his best to convert Valentinos from the true faith to the worship of idols, pressuring him to choose between “being a good friend of the king and enjoy luxurious life, and becoming an enemy of the king and facing his rage”. At that Valentinos answered audaciously: “If your majesty knew the One God who created heaven and earth, Whom we all should worship, you would have been happy too, you and your kingdom.” At that, one of the judges asked him, what do you think about Jupiter and Mars? Valentinos responded: “these are cold hand made status, and are according to your belief good for nothing but rites of carnal pleasures”. Upon that, one judge shouted: “He just blasphemed against the gods and the kingdom”. The king handed Valentinos to judge Esterius to punish him. Esterius took Valentinos to his house, and asked him if he could help him with his blind daughter. Saint Valentinos prayed over her, asking God: “My Lord Jesus Christ, the light of the world, give sight back to your servant.” Immediately her eyes were opened and she saw! Seeing this, judge and Esterius and his family believed in Christ and were taught about our Christian faith by Saint Valentinos, who then baptized them. When the king learned how Valentinos had Esterius and his family converted to Christianity, he arrested them, and punished them brutally until they died martyrs. He then throw Valentinos in the prison for a long time hoping that he will give up his faith in Christ, then ordered him to be beaten with hard sticks. Amazingly Valentinos was patiently praising God as his bones were crushed and his blood running on the ground, thanking Him for the gift of martyrdom; which he got when his head was cut off in the year 268. May his prayers be with us always. Amen.