Starting around the fourth century B.C., Romans engaged in an annual rite to passage to the God Lupercus.

Names of teenage girls were placed in a box and drawn at random by teenage boys. The girl selected was assigned as the boys "companion" for the rest of the year. At the end of the year another drawing was held. A nice deal for the boys, but not always pleasant for the girls.

Finally, after about eight hundred years, church fathers looked for a way to end this unfair situation.

Their answer turned out to be Valentine, a bishop martyred two hundred years before.

It is told that St. Valentine was a priest, living near Rome around 270 A.D. during the time Roman Emperor Claudius-II issued an edict forbidding marriage. Rome was starting to decline.

Rome needed more and and more men to be soldiers. Claudius believed that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and made poor soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.

Valentine, then a bishop , understood the plight of young lovers. He met them in secret places and married them. When Claudius found out he had Valentine arrested.

Impressed with Valentine, Claudius tried to convert him to worship Roman gods. Valentine refused and tried to convert the Emperor.

Bad idea.  Valentine was executed February 24, 270.

The First Valentine's Day Card:

Asterius was Valentine's jailor. He had a blind daughter and asked Valentine to heal her.

Using  his faith Valentine was able to restore the girls site,

Then just before he was executed, he asked for pen and paper and signed a farewell message to her:

"From Your Valentine" a phase that has endured ever since.