You're listening to Catholic Sprouts, the daily podcast for Catholic kids that strives to plant seeds of faith.

Hey there, Spouts. Today is Tuesday, February 14th, 2020. Today is also Valentine's Day, the Feast of Saint Valentine. Before we hear his story, though, if you would join me in praying the Anima Christi in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen soul of christ sanctify me body of christ save me blood of christ

inebriate me water from the side of Christ wash me. Passion of Christ strengthen me. Good Jesus,

hear me. Within your wounds, conceal me. Do not permit me to be parted from you. From the evil foe,

protect me. At the hour of my death, call call me and bid me come to you to praise you

with all your saints forever and ever amen so this week we're talking about forgiveness but first

let's talk about st valentine of Rome, where we get our holiday today.

So St. Valentine of Rome probably didn't spend much time eating chocolate or sending cute little cards to his friends.

He was a priest.

He was also a physician or a doctor.

And he lived in the time when it was illegal to be a Christian in the Roman Empire.

Now, a lot of what we know about him is based on legend, but tradition tells us that he probably was caught and convicted of being a Christian because he was performing Christian marriages for Roman soldiers.

At the time, it was forbidden from people in the Roman army to be married.

They were required to be single.

But he was performing these marriages, probably helping them be baptized and catechized.

He was convicted while he was in jail waiting his sentence.

Legend also tells us that he prayed and a jailer's daughter's vision was miraculously restored.

Ultimately, he gave the most powerful witness to the faith

by offering his life as a martyr.

So a very happy Valentine's Day to you,

and I hope that you live it like St. Valentine

by giving witness to the faith.

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