
Here are variety of stories and leends about St Valentine:
1.-Valentine was a Roman priest during the time of Cludius around AD269, who was martyred, then buried on the Flamian Way. He helped Christians during a time of persecution, was caugth, put in jail, became a Christian, then was clubbed to death for for this on February 14th, 269. While in prision, the legend says that he sent messages to friends saying "Remember your Valentine"and"Ilove you"
2.-In another story, it is said that Valentine was a priest that secretely married couples, defying the Emperor Claudiud who had temporaly forbid marriages.
3.- Or this 3rd story is that Valentine was a bishop of Terni martyred in Rome.
The 14th of February has been set apart as the special day to remember St. Valentine.This was one day before the Roman Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan love festival. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia from the 15th to the 14th to try and stop the pagan festival . The curch realized that there was nothing wrong with celebrating love, only the pagan elements were wrong. And so Valentine had become known as yhe praton of love.