The origin of Valentine's Day

As we get ready to mark the day of love, do you know the origin of St. Valentine?

Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs who were being persecuted under Roman Emperor Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270.

The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One theory is that he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime].

He is the patron saint of bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. *you could make some comments about love being equivalent to keeping bees and the plague, but I wont' go there*