St Valentine

Cast:  Valentine, Claudius, Christians (1b,1g), Roman Guards, judge, judges daughter

St Valentine was a priest who lived near Rome in the 3rd century.

(Enter Claudius)

The emperor in those days was a man named Claudius.  Claudius said "It is illegal to be a Christian!  Any Christians are to be arrested!"

(Enter Valentine, Christians, Roman Guards)

So St Valentine and the other Christians would have to sneak around on their tippy toes, trying not to get noticed by the Roman Guards. The roman guards just marched around all the time, looking for Christians.

Sometimes Christians would even sneak up to Valentine and say "Fr. Valentine, we want to be married."

So Valentine would officiate at their wedding, while the guards just kept marching by not noticing what was happening.

So very quietly so that they wouldn't get caught, Valentine would recite the wedding vows, saying "Do you, (boys name), Take this woman (girls name), to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  And the boy would whisper "I do!"  Then he would say to the girl "Do you, (girls name), take this man, (boys name) to be your husband?"  and the girl would whisper "I do!"

Then Valentine would say "I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!"

The audience said "Awkward!"

But just then Claudius said "I saw that!  You are a priest!  Guards, arrest that man!"

(Exit Christians, Claudius. Enter Judge, judges daughter)

So Valentine was arrested, and brought to the judge.   The Judge said "You claim that Jesus is the true God?  Fine, let's test it!"  and bringing his blind daughter out, the judge said.  "If Jesus is God, ask Him to heal my daughter!"

The judge's daughter just stumbled around, completely blind.

So Valentine prayed for the Judge's daughter, saying "Dear Jesus, please heal this girl!"

Suddenly the girl started yelling "I'm healed!  It's a miracle!"

The Judge fell on his knees and said "It is a miracle! I too want to be a Christian!"

So Valentine baptized the judge, and the Judge let him go.

(Exit Judge, judges daughter, enter Claudius)

But soon after Claudius arrested Valentine again.  Claudius said “Look, Valentine, I like you, so why don't you just renounce Christ, and we can let this whole thing go."

But Valentine said "I think that you should accept Christ!"

So Claudius got really angry, and said "You're not listening to me!  Guards!  Beat this man with clubs, and chop off his head!"  So the guards did as they were told, and Valentine died.

St Valentine-  Pray for us.