Saint Valentine

Saint Valentine was a Christian priest in Rome during the rule of Emperor Claudius II. When the emperor outlawed marriage and threatened anyone who performed a wedding, Valentine continued serving couples in secret. He freed his friend Titus from prison, married Titus and Paulina, and accepted arrest in their place. While awaiting execution, Valentine befriended Julia, the jailer's blind daughter, and prayed as her sight was restored. Claudius offered mercy if the priest would deny his faith and stop the weddings, but Valentine refused. He also rejected a final escape because the jailer would have been punished. Valentine died on February 14 after sending Julia a note of love, and the church later remembered his faithful courage on that day.