On the Bright Side

        The history of Valentine’s Day is not without debate.  There are several versions floating around and all admit they are not certain.  There are a few commonly accepted stories, however.  We do know that there was a Roman priest in the third century A.D. who defied the orders of then Roman Emperor Claudius II by conducting illegal marriages.  At the time, the Roman Empire was nearing the end of its glorious 200 year heyday Pax Romana and Claudius, fearing the impending doom, needed to maintain a strong standing army to defend against all of the outsiders who stood in line to invade the most prosperous empire on the planet.  Drafting married men was already illegal in the empire, thus, believing young single men would be most fit to serve, Claudius made it illegal for young men to marry.  A dissenting priest named Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and continued to marry young lovers.  He was jailed and later sentenced...