Valentine in the Vatican? Pope invites couples

Looking for that special place to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year? Pope Francis Tuesday set a date for engaged heterosexual couples at a special general audience with him in the Vatican on February 14. “The Joy of Yes Forever” read a Vatican note announcing the unusual initiative, which was decorated with silhouettes of a man and a woman embracing and a white cross with pink borders against a blue sky backdrop. “Engaged couples who have already attended or are presently attending marriage preparation courses are invited to a meeting with the Holy Father,” the statement said. Participants are invited to register by January 30 to get a spot. Saint Valentine is believed to have been a priest from the 3rd century AD who was martyred because he secretly married couples in the Christian faith. February 14 was the date of his martyrdom in 273 AD.