The Legend of Saint Valentine

People the world over celebrate St. Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14th by sending flowers, chocolates, cards, and other gifts, but have no idea who St. Valentine was and why the patron saint of lovers is so revered year after year.

While the idea of Valentine’s Day may actually be connected to the fertility festival known as Lupercalia, an ancient Roman celebration, plenty believe the day is in honor of a man called Fr. Valentine, a holy priest who lived in the third century during the rule of Claudius II.

The emperor was known for his fighting ways and often sent his troops to war for months at a time, leaving young families without fathers. After a time, Claudius banned marriage altogether because he didn’t believe in these young men forming lasting relationships. Outraged by Claudius’ decision, Fr. Valentine attempted to change the situation by marrying young couples in secret.

Claudius discovered Valentine’s clandestine activities and sentenced him to death. Legend has it that many of those young couples visited him in prison, with flowers and notes to express their gratitude. Valentine apparently fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and before he died, passed her a note that said, “From Your Valentine.” St. Valentine died on Feb. 14, and was later buried in St. Hippolytus cemetery near Rome.

According to Irish historians, St. Valentine’s body was exhumed in 1836 and shipped to the Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, in recognition of John Spratt, a Carmelite priest, who in 1835 was invited to speak in Rome. When the city’s elite, including representatives of Pope Gregory XVI, heard the gifted orator, who worked on behalf of Dublin’s destitute poor, they granted him Valentine’s body, suggesting he bring back the remains to the Carmelite church.

Visitors to Dublin can view the shrine to St. Valentine at the Whitefriar Street Church, which is within walking distance of Stephen’s Green. A shop within the church contains various souvenirs to St. Valentine, including cards, keyrings and other materials.

Find out more about the St. Valentine shrine.