Though shrouded in the mists of time, St. Valentine’s legend tells of a 3rd Century bishop in Italy, who died a martyr’s death. The Roman leaders imprisoned him for secretly conducting marriages for soldiers, who were not allowed to have wives. He is said to have sent a letter – “from your Valentine” -- to his jailer’s daughter after he healed her of blindness. How appropriate that on his feast day we recall his courageous ministry to lovers and notes of loving care to friends.

Tender Hearts. If you are planning a classroom card exchange, help everyone have a good time by requesting that children include everyone in the class on their list.

Decorate the doors or windows – Brainstorm with students about what they love about their friends, their school, their family, their parish. Have students cut out hearts and write some of these “loving thoughts” and display them in your classroom during February.

Chains of Love. Print Bible verses about love and friendship on red, white, and pink paper. Cut the verses into strips, fold each strip in half, bend into a heart shape, and join the strips into links of a chain. Each day after Valentine’s Day, tear off a heart and read the Scripture aloud in your classroom prayer time.

Top Bible Verses about Love: Use some of these to make the chains of love hearts, above, or have children print and decorate the verses on cards to share with family and friends.

• 1 Corinthians 16:14 - Let all that you do be done in love.

• Colossians 3:14 - And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 - So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

• John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (Hint: You can get 11 mini-verses about love from this one verse!)

Images of Loving Care. Instruct students to search through their faith formation book to find three illustrations or photographs that show someone doing a loving action. Have them share their findings with the class in their own words. Who is showing love? How are they showing love? Who is receiving the love?

Hearts in Catholic Art. Although their official feast days are in June, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are also good ideas to share on Valentine’s Day. These traditional icons vividly depict the sacrificial and unconditional love of our Lord and his Blessed Mother for all of us. Explain that each of us is called to express such love for God and our neighbors.