Neil Haislop: Valentine's Day History And 2006

Valentine’s Day started when a man literally lost his head for the sake of love. It goes back in the time of the Roman Empire during the rule of Emperor Claudius II, known as Claudius the Cruel. It seems Claudius had involved Rome in a bunch of bloody and unpopular military campaigns. Not surprising then that Ol' Claudius was having a hard time getting soldiers to join the army. They didn't want to go out and get slaughtered for this fool. But Claudius, believed the soldiers just didn't want to leave their wives and families. So, to take care of that problem Claudius banned all engagements and marriages so his soldiers wouldn't have a reason not to go out and get slaughtered for him. Enter a Christian Priest named Father Valentine stepped in to defend love. He figured only God could decide who is married and who isn't. So, Father Valentine began marrying people in secret. Trouble was, some snitch ratted on Valentine, Claudius tossed him in prison and on February 14th in the year 270 he was beheaded. It wasn’t unil a few hundred years later when Christianity began to take over Europe that Father Valentine became Saint Valentine in honor of his sacrifice for the people's right to fall in love and get married.

TRISHA AND GARTH ON OPRAH FOR VALENTINE’S DAY EPISODE
Don’t forget to catch Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks appearing on Oprah for a very special Valentine's Day episode. Trisha and Garth will chat for the whole hour and perform their new duet "Love Will Always Win."

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