Who Was Saint Valentine? The Story Behind Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine, or Saint Valentine of Rome, is a figure in history related to the observance of Valentine's Day. There were multiple martyrs with the name Valentine in early Christian history, and scholars disagree as to the actual identity of Saint Valentine on whom the holiday is based. The most widely referenced historical report indicates that Saint Valentine was a priest in third-century AD Rome.

Identity and Accounts:

Aside from his name and martyrdom, nothing is known of the real Saint Valentine. One account says he was a priest who was incarcerated and persecuted for being a Christian. He was also jailed for performing marriages for soldiers in the Roman army when it was not permissible for soldiers who were married to serve in the armed forces. Some historians conjecture that, before Christianity was adopted as Rome's state church, Christians dissuaded volunteering for Rome's armies. Valentine likely saw marrying off soldiers as a means to prevent men from dying while working for a pagan authority. Emperor Claudius II did not approve of this because it would drain the military strength, and had Valentine arrested for subversion. The tale speaks that Valentine remained on good terms with Claudius II until he tried to convert him to the legitimacy of Jesus. Increasingly frustrated with his efforts, Claudius II condemned him to death unless he renounced the faith.

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Another account states that Valentine was a Bishop of Terni, Italy. In this version, the legend is that he was martyred in Rome and his relics were buried on the Via Flaminia, where a church was erected over them.

Life of Saint Valentine: His Death and Sainthood

According to accounts of his life, it is generally accepted that he was martyred between 270 and 280 AD. The Roman Catholic church canonized him in 496 AD during the reign of Pope Galasius. Eastern and Coptic Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Lutheranism, and other Christian liturgical denominations and traditions also celebrate Saint Valentine. Although his feast day was declared official on February 14, it wasn't until 1969 that it was struck from the General Roman Calendar by Pope Paul VI because there was not enough reliable information. Nevertheless, it remains a recognized and popular holiday today.

Saint Valentine's Legacy and Holiday

Saint Valentine was executed on February 14, around the year 269 AD. Over time, this date became associated with celebrating love and affection, leading to the modern Valentine's Day holiday. However, the historical details surrounding Saint Valentine are not well-documented, and many aspects of the story have been embellished and romanticized over the centuries.

Valentine's Day has come to be a day of showing love and affection to one's sweetheart, friends, and relatives by giving gifts, cards, and acts of kindness. Although the holiday originated from Christian tradition and martyrdom, it has evolved into a non-religious holiday celebrating love and friendship in most of the world.

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Saint Valentine and Marriage

Saint Valentine conducted secret Christian marriages when Roman Emperor Claudius II prohibited marriage for young men because he believed that unmarried men made stronger soldiers. Saint Valentine's acts of conducting such marriages were perceived as acts of rebellion against the emperor's decree.

Later, Valentine was arrested and sentenced to death. He is purported to have befriended the jailer's daughter while in prison and to have penned her a goodbye letter signed "From your Valentine" before his death. One of the earliest associations of Saint Valentine with romantic love, this has been a popular tradition for many years.

Did St. Valentine Perform Any Miracles?

It is said that he married off couples so the men would not have to go into military service. This tale is connected to one of his miracles. In this trial, Valentine questioned the Judge, Asterius, about the validity of Jesus. For this, Asterius assigned Valentine to prove the validity of Jesus by restoring sight to his daughter. Valentine restored the woman's site, which astonished Asterius. With this miracle done in front of him, Asterius not only declared the truth of Jesus but also destroyed the idols in his home and fasted for the subsequent three days. Following those three days, he was baptized along with his daughter, the entire family, and more than 44 members of his household. Following this, Astorius freed captive Christians from jail.

When Did Christians Begin Celebrating Valentine's Day?

Although the official celebration of Saint Valentine's Day was achieved in the late fifth century, it was not commonly celebrated as a day of love in the Roman Catholic Church until the fourteenth century. Through and after his time, particularly in the High Middle Ages, the composition of love letters increased among Christian couples. The beginning of writing to one's "Valentine" can quite possibly be traced to this custom. Other acts were added on Saint Valentine's Day over time—chocolates, sweets, roses, greeting cards, and jewelry.

Even during the Reformation period, the holiday was still being celebrated and acknowledged among Protestant communities. To this day, Christians in the high and low churches of Christianity observe this day of romance. Some observe it by paying tribute and reverence to Valentine himself. Others observe it as a romantic and playful gesture to their sweetheart or spouse.

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