Valentine was a priest in third-century Rome who helped Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. One of the services he offered was to perform marriages for Christians during this persecution, which led to his patronage of young people, those in love, and happy marriages.

Valentine was discovered and arrested. Authorities threatened him with torture unless he renounced his faith. He refused and was beaten with clubs, then beheaded. He died on this date in the year 269.

Legend has it that before he was beheaded, he converted his jail guard by healing the man’s daughter, restoring sight to her and writing her a note, which he signed, “From your Valentine.” In the Middle Ages, his feast was connected with the tradition of courtly love.

Much of his story is unreliable, so the official calendar for liturgy for the universal Church uses this date to commemorate Ss. Cyril and Methodius. St. Valentine still remains on the calendar for local veneration in Rome, however.

Archeologists have uncovered a Roman catacomb and church that was built in memory of St. Valentine. He was remembered with great honor by early Christians, and was included in the saints recalled in the Mass in some places. This reliquary case, which shows his skull, is in Rome, but other relics of St. Valentine rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. His image is used here with permission from Catholic.org, and the image of his skull comes from Mark Laliberte.

Visit our prayercards page to find a prayer for Valentine’s Day from campus, as well as a prayer to St. Valentine for married couples.

St. Valentine, patron of young people, those in love, and happy marriages, pray for us!