Remembering the story behind Valentine's Day

If you haven't checked the calendar in a bit, it's worth noting: Wednesday is Valentine's Day.

Many will mark the day dedicated to the celebration of love and marriage with the giving of cards, flowers and other gifts. Some will plan nice dinners at restaurants. These are all nice ways to celebrate. But the history behind the holiday and its namesake is worth retelling as we do in this space each year.

The Roman priest Valentine was sentenced to die Feb. 14 in about A.D. 270. The reason for the execution was his defiance of Emperor Claudius II's ban of marriage. The concept was that unmarried soldiers would be better fighters than those who were married. The emperor, who was known for his persecution of the Christian church, banned the marrying of young people.

Valentine believed that marrying others was right and just and carried out the ceremonies despite what consequences might come. Indeed, he was executed and is considered a martyr in the church for doing what was right in the eyes of God.

While love can be expressed in many ways, it's worth noting the importance of marriage. Not only is it something to be celebrated, but families in healthy marriages are better equipped in many ways. That's especially true for children in two-parent households.

We'd also like to offer our admiration to those couples who have celebrated 40, 50 and 60-plus year anniversaries. It's inspirational to see couples whose love and commitment to each other has stood the test of time. They've chosen to love, honor and cherish for a lifetime.

Happy Valentine's Day.