The Real St. Valentine: The Forgotten History Behind the Holiday

As the world exchanges chocolates and cards, the historical figure behind Valentine's Day remains largely unknown. St. Valentine was a third-century Roman priest who was imprisoned and executed for secretly performing marriages for soldiers forbidden to marry, and for ministering to persecuted Christians. According to tradition, Valentine sent a letter to his jailer's daughter — whom he had healed of blindness — signed "from your Valentine." The story of a man who chose love and faith over self-preservation offers a richer meaning to the holiday than its commercial veneer suggests.