AsearlyasthefourthcenturyB.C.,theRomansengagedinanannualyoungman'sritetopassagetotheGodLupercus.Thenamesoftheteenagewomenwereplacedinaboxanddrawnatrandombyadolescentmen;thus,amanwasassignedawomancompanionforthedurationoftheyear,afterwhichanotherlotterywasstaged.Aftereighthundredyearsofthiscruelpractice,theearlychurchfatherssoughttoendthispractice...TheyfoundananswerinValentine,abishopwhohadbeenmartyredsometwohundredyearsearlier.
AccordingtochurchtraditionSt.ValentinewasapriestnearRomeinabouttheyear270A.D.AtthattimetheRomanEmperorClaudius-IIwhohadissuedanedictforbiddingmarriage.
ThiswasaroundwhentheheydayofRomanempirehadalmostcometoanend.Lackofqualityadministratorsledtofrequentcivilstrife.Learningdeclined,taxationincreased,andtradeslumpedtoalow,precariouslevel.AndtheGauls,Slavs,Huns,TurksandMongoliansfromNorthernEuropeandAsianincreasedtheirpressureontheempire'sboundaries.Theempirewasgrowntoolargetobeshieldedfromexternalaggressionandinternalchaoswithexistingforces.Thusmoreofcapablemenwererequiredtoberecruitedassoldiersandofficers.WhenClaudiusbecametheemperor,hefeltthatmarriedmenweremoreemotionallyattachedtotheirfamilies,andthus,willnotmakegoodsoldiers.Sotoassurequalitysoldiers,hebannedmarriage.
Valentine,abishop,seeingthetraumaofyounglovers,mettheminasecretplace,andjoinedtheminthesacramentofmatrimony.Claudiuslearnedofthis"friendoflovers,"andhadhimarrested.Theemperor,impressedwiththeyoungpriest'sdignityandconviction,attemptedtoconverthimtotheromangods,tosavehimfromcertainexecution.ValentinerefusedtorecognizeRomanGodsandevenattemptedtoconverttheemperor,knowingtheconsequencesfully.
OnFebruary24,270,Valentinewasexecuted.
"FromyourValentine"
WhileValentinewasinprisonawaitinghisfate,hecameincontactwithhisjailor,Asterius.Thejailorhadablinddaughter.Asteriusrequestedhimtohealhisdaughter.ThroughhisfaithhemiraculouslyrestoredthesightofAsterius'daughter.Justbeforehisexecution,heaskedforapenandpaperfromhisjailor,andsignedafarewellmessagetoher"FromYourValentine,"aphrasethatlivedeverafter.
ValentinethusbecomeaPatronSaint,andspiritualoverseerofanannualfestival.ThefestivalinvolvedyoungRomansofferingwomentheyadmired,andwishedtocourt,handwrittengreetingsofaffectiononFebruary14.ThegreetingcardsacquiredSt.Valentine'sname.
TheValentine'sDaycardspreadwithChristianity,andisnowcelebratedallovertheworld.Oneoftheearliestcardwassentin1415byCharles,dukeofOrleans,tohiswifewhilehewasaprisonerintheTowerofLondon.ThecardisnowpreservedintheBritishMuseum.