The First Valentine

    14 February
Profile
    Priest in Rome, possibly a bishop. Physician. Imprisoned for giving aid to martyrs in prison, and while there converted the jailer by restoring sight to the jailer's daughter. While Valentine of Terni and Valentine of Rome sometimes have separate entries in martyrologies and biographies, most scholars believe they are the same person.

    There are several theories about the origin of Valentine's Day celebrations. Some believe the Romans had a mid-February custom where boys drew girls' names in honor of the sex and fertility goddess, Februata Juno; pastors "baptised" this holiday, like some others, by substituting the names of saints such as Valentine to suppress the practice. Others maintain that the custom of sending Valentines on 14 February stems from the belief that birds begin to pair on that date. By 1477 the English associated lovers with the feast of Valentine because on that day "every bird chooses him a mate." The custom started of men and women writing love letters to their Valentine on this day. Other "romance" traditions have become attached to this feast, including pinning bay leaves to your pillow on Valentine's Eve so that you will see your future mate that night in your dreams.
Died
    beaten and beheaded c.269 at Rome
    buried on the Flaminian Way
    relics later translated to the Church of Saint Praxedes
Patronage
    affianced couples
    against epilepsy
    against fainting
    against plague
    bee keepers
    betrothed couples
    Bussolengo, Italy
    engaged couples
    greeting card manufacturers
    greetings
    happy marriages
    love
    lovers
    travellers
    young people