1. Namesake: Saint Valentine
Saint Valentine was a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the third century. When a law was introduced to prevent Roman soldiers from marriage so they could be fully devoted to their job, he secretly would marry them to their loves. Saint Valentine was executed on 14 February in the year 270.
2. Day of celebration
It wasn’t until more than 200 years later that 14 February was proclaimed St Valentine’s Day. A Roman pagan fertility ritual was held in February each year and the Pope abolished this festival and proclaimed 14 February Saint Valentine’s Day, thus establishing this feast day on the Catholic Calendar of Saints.
3. The love link
The poet Chaucer in the Middle Ages was the first to link St Valentine with romantic love. Stories grew about a High Court of Love where female judges would rule on issues related to love on 14 February each year. Historians believe that these meetings were in fact gatherings where people read love poetry and played games of flirtation.
