Last weekend BrisBricks held its monthly social night with LEGO fans from across SEQ meeting at Carindale Library for some LEGO fun.
Theme of the month was Valentine, and members had brought along some wonderful models following that theme as part of our MOC (my own creation) competition.
There were hearts (and broken hearts), and realisation that the way to the heart may go through chocolate and roses.
We also saw examples of both Cupid’s bow (built with springs so it was actually working) and arrow.
History of Valentine
There was also an amazing model showing the history of Valentine’s Day.
Valentine was a doctor in Italy in the 3rd century A.D. He showed his ‘love’ for his fellow humans by helping them and caring for them.
Valentine converted to Christianity and became a priest in Rome. Emperor Claudius II banned marriages as he wanted more men in the army and he thought marriage would ‘distract’ them. Valentine secretly performed marriages to allow love to flourish.Claudius had Valentine thrown in prison for performing marriage ceremonies. In prison, he became friendly with his jailer, Asterious. The jailer’s daughter, Julia, was blind and Asterious asked Valentine if he would read to her so that she could learn things. Again, even in prison, Valentine showed his love for others.
Claudius was impressed with what Valentine was doing and offered him a pardon if Valentine would disown Christianity. Not only did Valentine decline, but he suggested to Claudius that he should accept the love of Jesus Christ. Claudius was angered and had Valentine beaten, stoned and beheaded on the 14th February, 270 A.D.
Before his execution, Valentine wrote a missive to Julia asking her to continue showing her love for the teaching of Jesus. It is reported that when Julia received the letter, God restored her sight and she was able to read it for herself. It was for this miracle that Valentine was made a Saint. The missive about ‘love’ to Julia finished with the words, “from your Valentine.” In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius decreed 14th February to be St. Valentine’s Day.
Thus began the tradition of sending a letter or gift to your loved one “from your Valentine” on 14th February.
Valentine – not all about love
A final entry showed a very different Valentine, the British World War 2 era tank with the same name.
The Valentine Tank (with the official name, Infantry Tank, Mk III, Valentine) was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Vickers designed the tank, with the design being submitted to the War Office for consideration just before St. Valentine’s Day, 1938. According to legend this is how the Valentine tank obtained its name.
Following this, more than 8,000 of the type were produced in various variants, accounting for approximately a quarter of the wartime British tank production.
Being versatile and reliable, it served in the British, New Zealand and Canadian armies (here built under licence). It was also supplied in large numbers to the USSR.
