The Story Behind Valentine's Day

Valentinus was a Roman priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius the second. At that time, Christians were persecuted for their faith by the Romans. Valentinus taught that marriage was a sacred compact between one man and one woman, which was contrary to Roman practice of the time.

Valentinus performed Christian marriages in secret, contrary to the command of Claudius. He was caught, imprisoned, tortured and sentenced to death. The story goes that he wrote a farewell note to a young girl and signed it "From your Valentine."

It seems only fitting that today's version of Valentine's Day is derived from a man being imprisoned, tortured, and executed.

Other VD (ha!) tidbits:

During the Middle Ages it was thought that February 14 was the beginning of the mating season for birds.

The oldest known valentine still in existence today is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt.

By the middle of the 18th Century it was common to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes.

Today Valentine's Day is the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's some images that might help explain why I'm on my third wife.