Welcome to the Saint-Valentines™ USA website
Click on the flag to visit Saint Valentine's website in the
UK
Who was St. Valentine?
St. Valentine was a holy priest in Rome who, with St. Marius and his family,
assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. St. Valentine was
apprehended and sent by the Emperor to the Prefect of Rome. He found all St.
Valentine's promises to renounce his faith ineffectual and commanded that St.
Valentine be beaten with clubs and then beheaded. St. Valentine was
executed on the 14th February in about the year 270.
When is St Valentine's Day?
St. Valentine's day is celebrated on
14th February
Why do we send Valentine Cards?
In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for
sending the first valentine card. Commercial valentine cards were
introduced in the 1800's.
Why is St. Valentine the patron Saint of lovers?
On 14th February flowers and gifts are exchanged between lovers
in the name of St. Valentine. Who is St. Valentine and why do we celebrate
February 14th?
One legend has it that it began in Rome when the Emperor Claudius II was
involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. “Claudius the Cruel” was having
a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Claudius
believed that the reason was that Roman men did not want to leave their loved
ones. So Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome!
Saint Valentine, who was a priest in Rome in the year 269 AD, together with
his friend Saint Marius, defied Claudius and performed marriages in secret.
When Valentine's actions were discovered, Valentine was sentenced to be
beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off.
Whilst in prison Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him
during his confinement. Before St. Valentine's death on the 14th day of
February, it is said that he wrote her a letter signed " From your Valentine"
February 14th
In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius set aside February 14th to honour
St. Valentine.
Another legend says that Valentine's
Day started in ancient Rome, on February 14th, a holiday to honour Juno.
Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew
her as the Goddess of women and marriage. Then, the following day, February
15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.
In those days, the lives of young boys
and girls were strictly separate. However, on the eve of the festival of
Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed
into jars.
Each young man would draw a girl's
name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival
with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an
entire year, and often, they would fall in love and marry.
| 
