The History and meaning of Valentine’s Day
Valentines Day is officially recognised by the Christian and Catholic Church who have records of three martyred saints called Valentine or Valentinus.
The ‘original’ love doctor!
One popular theory contests that a priest named Valentine who dates back to the third Century in Rome defied Emperor Claudius II who decided single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, in-fact the Emperor outlawed marriage for young men. The young priest continued to perform marriages for lovers in secret until he was found out and Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Another theory suggests that Valentine may have been captured and killed by the Romans for helping Christians escape from Roman rule and imprisonment. According to scripture Valentine himself was sent to prison where he fell in love with a girl (possibly the jailer’s daughter) who secretly visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed ‘From your Valentine,’ an expression that is still in use today.
Valentine is today still one of the most popular saints in England and France.
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