Valentine's Day is 14th April as I am sure most people know. But who was St. Valentine and how did Valentine's day come about? Legend suggests that during the third century Emperor Claudius decided to outlaw marriage because he believed single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families. However, there was a priest named Valentine who refused to accept this edict from the Emperor and proceeded to perform marriages in secret. When Claudius found out he had Valentine imprisoned and tortured. There are many myths about Valentine's time in prison and this is just one. 

"It is believed that one of his judges was a man called Asterius, who had a blind  daughter. Apparently Valentine prayed with the young girl and she was healed of her blindness.  As a result  Asterius himself became Christian. 

In the year 269 AD, Valentine was found guilty under roman law and was sentenced to death by beating, stoning and decapitation, all because he married people. So the story goes the last thing he wrote was a letter to Asterius' daughter, which he apprently signed, "from your Valentine."  

February 14th is celebrated in his memory and has become a romantic celebration for lovers the world over.  He is now known as St. Valentine.  

Ancient Roman tradition

In Ancient Roman tradition 15th February is Lupercalia. Apparently, this was the popular ceremony of fertility. Some say this ceremony was the precursor for Valentine’s Day, which is quite likely since the early roman church usually chose feast days and celebrations around the same dates as the pagan celebrations they were replacing.