St. Valentine
Priest and Martyr (~270)

According to the Catholic Church, there are at least three recognized saints named Valentine or Valentinus. All three saints were martyrs. History books list one legend of Valentine as a priest serving in Rome sometime around the third century. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that Roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.

The priest Valentine defied the Emperor and married soldiers and their loves in secret. For this courageous deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270.