The History of St.Valentine’s Day
The traditions of St. Valentine's Day mix elements of both ancient Roman rites and Christian tradition. To confuse matters, three different saints named Valentine are recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. One legend states Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century. Emperor Claudius II decreed that marriage was to be outlawed for young men, as he thought that single men made better soldiers than those who were married with families. Valentine, felt the decree was unjust and unfair, and defied the Emperor by performing secret marriages for young lovers. When his actions for undercover lovers was discovered, Claudius ordered valentine be executed.
However, according to another legend, Valentine may have actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. In 270 AD on the day before he was to be executed for refusing to renounce his Christian beliefs, he is said to have sent a note of appreciation to his jailer's daughter for bringing him food and delivering messages while he was imprisoned, signed "from your Valentine." While we can never be certain as to the true origin of the St. Valentine legend, one thing is for sure, it must have been an appealing and enduring story because by the Middle Ages, Valentine had become one of the most popular saints in France and Britain.