From Your Valentine

Traditionally known as the Feast of Saint Valentine or St. Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world.

What began as a liturgical celebration of one of two men different holy men named Valentinus,  who were deemed the early and official Christian saint named Valentinus. Today, most of us simply know it as a working holiday for sending cards, or giving gifts to loved ones.

The history behind this special occasion is most commonly thought to involve a martyrdom associated with Valentinus with the belief that he was a imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. Known also for ministering to Christians, who were severely persecuted under the Roman Empire, he is rumored to have miraculously healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius.  The legend states that before his execution, he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her.

Today, Saint Valentine's Day is not only the official feast day in the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church which all celebrate this special event..only on either July 6th or July 30th.

July 6th actually is the date which honors the Roman presbyter, Saint Valentine and July 30th in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna, now the modern Terni.

Whether you celebrate in honor of one of these Valentines, or one of your own, or as I do ..a celebration of love and loving and caring for all...Happiest of Valentine's Day to each and every one of you!

shown above:
My own little art card, 8" x 8" which I named "Blessings From the Messenger" but just for today called...."From Your Valentine". May this little messenger carry my valentine to all of you across the many miles!

Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska and all of her AAQI Quilting. Sharing thousands of links to Free Quilt and Quilt Block Patterns and encouraging others to join in the Liberated Quilting Challenge and make or donate small art quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!