Remember, the most popular Valentine legend says that after third-century Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, Fr. Valentine continued to marry couples in secret. He recognized that marriage is a sacrament instituted by God, meaning the State didn’t have the authority to ban it at all. Despite his courage, Valentine was ultimately discovered and beheaded. 

So how do we honor his day, honor true love, honor our spouses and significant others, while also paying due homage to the beginning of Lent?

Imagine saying your vows to each other while holding the greatest representation of Christ’s love in your hands:

“I take you to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life.”

This resonated with my husband and he immediately said he wanted us to do it.

Just four days after the start of the German-Soviet War, a sick woman asked the local priest, Fr. Mykola Konrad, to hear her confession. Volodymr accompanied the priest, but sometime after their visit, they disappeared.