Who is Valentine?

Did you know The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred? 

But the most popular Saint Valentine, and the one frequently attributed with fathering Valentine’s Day, was a Roman priest during the third century, serving under Emperor Claudius. Emperor Claudius believed that single men made better soldiers than those married and with families, and passed a law making marriage illegal for all young men. Valentine recognized the horror of this law and continued to marry young couples in secret, effectively defying his Emperor.

When Claudius discovered Valentine’s acts of defiance, he had him killed immediately. Valentine was later canonized by the Vatican and, in the 5th century, February 14th was named his feast day, the day designated by the church to honor and commemorate a saint’s life.

Still, other people believe that February 14th’s designation as a day of love, comes out of something far less bloody than a martyred saint. In France and England, February 14th is the beginning of the birds’ mating season, which symbolizes love, fertility, and the promise of spring.

Approximately 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.

Well, you can chose to believe anything you want about Valentine's day but the reality is for decades now it has been celebrated by different people from different works of life.

Another reality is, 14th of February far from sharing love in gift items between loved ones it has been used as yardstick to do many wrong things, it is no surprise most Pentecostal Churches decided to really celebrate the day and also use it to inform the youths on healthy and godly relationships and as a way of providing a platform for them to celebrate it in the right way!

Pst. Blessing George Igbinidu

One of such meetings is A DATE WITH PASTOR B, a meeting powered by God's Word Foundation & Prayer Ministry, a.k.a God's Word Church, with headquarter located at Ekae, off Sapele Road, Benin City, Edo State.  It's a meeting that is one of the various youth and children empowerment platforms headed by  

Pastor Blessing George Igbinidu, a strong believer in the future of the youths and the children. 

The first edition of the meeting took place last year 2016, it was a meeting everyone who were there can testify to it's atmosphere of so much wisdom and God's love for everyone irrespective of background, shape or color.

It is a meeting that encourages everyone who must celebrate Valentine's day to do it rightly, with good worship coming from talented singers, questions and answers, talk-shows, comedy and refreshments, it is one atmosphere you can be sure of celebrating Valentine's day rightly and to it's fullness! 

You can save the date if you are around Benin City, or keep it locked down here for more updates if you are around the world! Happy Valentine in advance, cheers! 

CREDIT:

History 

StyleCaster