Saint Valentine, February 14

According to the Nuremberg Chronicle, Valentine was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. (3^RD 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.