St. Valentine
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According to the Nuremberg Chronicle, Valentine was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. (3RD Century) He was imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and aiding the persecuted Christians. Both acts were considered serious crimes. A relationship between the saint and emperor began to grow, until Valentine attempted to convince Claudius of Christianity. Claudius became enraged and sentenced Valentine to death if he did not renounce his faith. Valentine remained faithful to Christ. He was beaten with clubs and beheaded at the Flaminian Gate of Rome on February 14, 269. One story relates the fact that Valentine restored the sight of a blind girl. On the day of his execution, he left the girl a note signed, "Your Valentine."
The romantic nature of Valentine's Day may have derived during the Middle Ages, when it was believed that birds paired couples in mid-February. According to English 18th-century antiquarians It is also believed that Valentine's Day was most likely created to overpower the pagan holiday, Lupercalia, which celebrated purification and fertility. Although the exact origin of the holiday is not widely agreed upon, it is widely recognized as a day for love, devotion and romance.
Relics of St. Valentine can be found all over the world. A flower-crowned skull of St. Valentine can be found in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. In 1836, other relics were exhumed from the Roman catacombs and were identified as Valentine's. His relics are found in many parts of the world.
Saint Valentine is a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with "courtly love." Although not much of St. Valentine's life is reliably known, most historians agree that St. Valentine was martyred and then buried on the Via Flaminia, north of Rome.
One common story about St. Valentine is that he was imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians being persecuted by the Emperor Claudius in Rome. Both acts were considered serious crimes. When Valentine attempted to convince Claudius of Christianity, Claudius became enraged and sentenced Valentine to death, commanding him to renounce his faith or be beaten with clubs and beheaded. He refused to do so and was executed outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269.
A legend relates that during his imprisonment, Valentine healed the jailer’s blind daughter. On the day of his execution, he left the girl a note signed, "Your Valentine."