February 14, 2005

Dear Friends and Family,

One of my dear friends, Elena Dorubonsu, is marreid to an Orthodox priest, and she said the way Americans celebrate Valentine’s day is a blasphemy to the real Saint Valentine.

In Romania, Valentine’s day is not the day of exchanging cards and small gifts to friends—that day is reserved for March 1— “Martisoare.” (The first day of March is the time to celebrate the coming of spring by giving friends, especially the females in your life, tokens of springtime.

This made me curious, so I asked Elena about Saint Valentine and did a little research. He was a priest in the time of the Claudius (whose nickname was “The Cruel.” In order to keep soldiers from deserting by running home to wives and family, all marriages were outlawed. Valentine supposedly defied the emperor and married couples secretely. This is why he is associated with romantic love. He was imprisoned and executed on February 14, 269AD. Valentine left a note to the jailer’s daughter that said, “I will see you in heaven” and signed it “from your Valentine.”

Another version has it that he was a Roman soldier and was told to kill Christians. He was assigned to kill a young woman and she said she was happy to go to her Lord. If Valentine killed her, she would get there faster. He was impressed by her witness and he became a Christian. He was then imprisoned and executed on February 14. He left a message for the young lady that said, “I will see you in heaven.” Whichever version, Valentine was a real marytr for Christian love—the love of God for all of us. Celebrate this day of love by reflecting on God’s message of love to the world—in the flesh—Jesus Christ. I am sharing this message of love to all of you today. If you do not know personally the tranforming love of Jesus Christ, which transforms your life, washes away all your sins, makes you a whole person, I urge you to adopt today, February 14th, as the day you give yourself over completely to Jesus, the only lover you will ever really need. I love each and every one of you, or you would not be getting this valentine from me.

Remember St. Valentine and give your life up to God

In the name of Jesus,

Mary Ferris

P.S. Hope to see you in heaven.

The 2005 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 181