The History of Valentine's Day

The celebration of valentines day, or St. valentines day contains both christian and ancient roman traditions, with many different stories. Valentine was a saint recognized by the Catholic church, and was a “priest who served during the third century in Rome” (History.com, 2024, television networks) One legend explains, Emperor Claudius II had decided that single men would make better soldiers than the ones with wives and families, because of this “he outlawed marriage for young men” (History.com, 2024, television networks) . Valentine believed this was unfair, and proceeded to marry young couples withough Claudius Knowing. When this was discovered, “Claudius ordered that Valentine be put to death”(History.com, 2024, television networks). Other stories say that Valentine was killed for “helping Christians escape Roman prisons, where they had been abused” (History.com, 2024, television networks). Valentine may have been sent the first “valentine” himself after falling in love with his jailor’s daughter, who had visited him during his imprisonment. Before he died, he wrote her a letter and signed it with “from your Valentine” Even thought the history of Valentine is not clear, in both of these stories, he is seen as a sympathetic hero, and romantic figure.