From Lifeway Reserach:
St. Valentine’s Day can provide a unique opportunity for pastors and their churches to find ways to love each other best.
By Aaron Earls
As Americans prepare to spend more than $25 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, few are aware the holiday springs not from romantic love but rather from the love a pastor had for Christ and those under his care.
Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century church elder martyred for his faith. Tradition holds he was imprisoned for sharing the gospel. Appearing before the Roman Emperor, Valentine attempted to win him to Christ as well. When the emperor rejected the message, he sentenced Valentine to die. Some legends also claim that as a priest Valentine secretly performed weddings for Christian couples, leading to his modern association with romance. More Here
