VALENTINE'S DAY

Born: ?
Birthplace: Roman Empire
Died: c. 270 (beheading)
Best Known As: The
namesake of Valentine's
Day
Saint Valentine, according to
romantic legend, was a kind-
hearted Roman priest who
married young couples against
the wishes of Emperor Claudius
II, and was beheaded for his
deeds on the 14th of February.
In truth, the exact origins and
identity of St. Valentine are
unclear. According to the
Catholic Encyclopedia, "At least
three different Saint
Valentines, all of them martyrs,
are mentioned in the early
martyrologies under the date
of 14 February." Two of these
men lived in the third century
A.D., one being the bishop of
Interamna (now Terni, Italy)
and the other a priest of Rome.
(Some speculate that these
two figures were actually the
same man.) Both seem to have
been persecuted for their
beliefs; the Roman priest
reportedly was beaten and
then beheaded on the orders
of Emperor Claudius II, on or
about the year 270. Legends
vary on how the martyr's name
became connected with
romance: the date of his death
may have become mingled with
the feast of Lupercalia, a
pagan festival of love, or with
the ancient belief that birds
first mate in the middle of
February. In modern times
Valentine's Day is a day of
special romantic sentiment and
gift-giving among lovers.