The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. The most popular legend traces the story of Valentine, a priest in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in the 3rd century. Claudius banned marriages for young men, believing that single men made better soldiers. Valentine, however, defied this decree and secretly performed marriages for couples in love. When his actions were discovered, he was sentenced to death. Some versions of the story suggest Valentine of Terni, a bishop, was the true namesake of the holiday, also martyred by Claudius II.
Other accounts propose that Valentine was executed for attempting to aid imprisoned Christians or that he sent the first “valentine” himself, a love letter to a young girl, possibly his jailor’s daughter, who visited him during his confinement. The letter, signed “From your Valentine,” would later become a timeless expression used on the holiday.
Though the truth behind these legends remains unclear, the common thread is Valentine’s heroic, romantic character. By the Middle Ages, his popularity as a saint grew in England and France, and his association with love blossomed.
