Claire Cullather

Ms. Bumbarger

Period 3

Individual Saint Report

February 10, 2016

Saint Valentine

Saint Valentine is a third-century Roman saint who is associated with courtly love.

There is not much of Saint Valentines life that is reliably known. The two stories that involve the

two different saints that go by the same name is not officially agreed upon. Saint Valentine was

martyred and buried on the Via Flaminia to the north of Rome. In 1969, the Roman Catholic

Church removed St. Valentine from the General Roman Calendar due to the fact that theres not

that much facts known about him. Although the Church still recognizes him as a saint because of

the stories of the deeds he had done throughout his life.

The legends attributed to Saint Valentine are as mysterious as the saint himself. A

common story about Saint Valentine was that at one point of his life, he was on house arrest with

Judge Asterius because he was the former Bishop of Terni, Narnia, and Amelia. One day,

Valentine began discussing faith and religion with the Judge and told him that Jesus was real.

Judge Asterius was curious and decided to put Valentine to the test. He told Valentine that if he

cured his blind daughter, he would do anything he said. Valentine then placed his hands on her

eyes and restored her vision immediately. The Judge kept his promise and broke all of the idols

in his house, faster for three days, and made his whole household, including himself, baptized.
 Unfortunately, there were other stories saying Saint Valentine would get arrested again

for trying to convert people to Christianity. He was sent to Rome to be judged by the emperor

Claudius Gothicus. There is a story that tells how Saint Valentine became imprisoned for

marrying Christian couples and helping Christians that were supposed to be persecuted by

Claudius, escape. The story also says that even though the emperor and Valentines relationship

began to increase, Valentine still tried to convert the emperor to Christianity. Finally, the emperor

had enough and ordered that Valentine were to be put to death if he did not renounce his faith.

Valentine refused and was beaten with clubs and beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on

February 14, 269 A.D, which is Saint Valentines feast day. There is another story that says while

he was imprisoned, Valentine healed the jailers blind daughter and left her a note that was

signed, Your Valentine.

There is a rumor that says Pope Julius I built a church near Ponte Mole in Valentines

memory which is now called Porta del Popolo. Valentines Day was said to have begun in the

Middle Ages, when it was believed that birds paired up couples in mid-February. Valentines Day

was most likely created to replace the pagan holiday, Lupercalia. This day is recognized as a day

for love, devotion, and romance.

I can be more like Saint Valentine by standing up for my faith no matter what the

consequence is and not being afraid of punishment. I admire Saint Valentine because Saint

Valentine wasnt afraid of death when he tried to convert the emperor to Christianity and didnt

stop healing the people even though he was going to die. Symbols that represent Saint Valentine

are roses, married couples, and love. Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love, happy marriages,

and young people.

 Bibliography:

Jones, Terry. "Valentine of Rome". Patron Saints Tom. Archived from the original

on April 1, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2007.

Johannes Baptista de Rossi et Ludovicus Duchesne, ed., Martyrologium

Hieronymianum: ad fidem codicum adiectis prolegomenis. Ex Actibus Sanctorum

Novembris, Tomi II, pars prior. Bruxellis 1894. lxxxii, 195 p. S. Valentinus, p. 20.
De Voragine, Jacobus. The Life of Saint Valentine. In Legenda Aurea, compiled

around 1275
Thurston, Herbert. St. Valentine. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol.15. 1912