<p>St. Valentine is a widely recognized third century Roman saint commemorated on February 14 and has been since the Middle Ages, with a tradition of courtly love.&nbsp; Nothing is known reliably, except his name and the fact that he did die as a martyr on the Via Flaminia, (an ancient Road that led to Rome along the Adriatic Sea) on the north side of Rome, on February 14^th.&nbsp;</p> <p>Several differing martyrologies have been added to later hagiographies that are unreliable.&nbsp; We do know that &ldquo;Valentinus&rdquo; (Latin for Valentine) was martyred on February 14^th on the Via Flaminia close to the Milvian Bridge in Rome.&nbsp; He still remains in the list of officially recognized saints for the local veneration of the faithful in Rome.&nbsp; St. Valentine&rsquo;s Church in Rome was built in 1960 for the needs of the Olympic Village, and continues to this day as a modern, well-visited parish Church.&nbsp; Males that derive from the name Valentinos or females that derive from the name Valentina celebrate their name day on February 14^th. &nbsp;</p> <p>The earlier sources of the Church records show in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum, dated between 460 and 544 the death of St. Valentine.&nbsp; Pope Gelasius I, who included the saint, first established the feast of St. Valentine in 496.&nbsp; St. Valentine was believed to be a holy Priest in Rome, who assisted martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II.&nbsp; He was apprehended and sent by the Emperor to the Prefect of Rome.&nbsp; Once there, finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith worthless, he commanded him to be beaten with clubs and to be beheaded on February 14^th.&nbsp; Pope Julius I, is said to have built a Church near Ponte Mole to his memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly &ndash; Porta Valentini.&nbsp; For the most part, his relics are now in the Church of St. Praxedes.&nbsp; His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the Sacramentary of St. Gregory, and the Roman Missal of St. Thomasius.&nbsp; To abolish the heathens, lewd and superstitious customs of boys drawing the names of girls, all in honor of their goddess &ldquo;Februata Juno&rdquo;, several Priests substituted the names of saints given on this day. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 1836, some relics were exhumed from the catacombs of St. Hippolytus on the Via Tiburtina, and then it was near &ndash; rather than inside Rome, was identified with St. Valentine.&nbsp; They were placed in a casket, and transported to the high altar for a special Mass dedicated to young people and all those in love.&nbsp; Also, in 1836, Fr. John Spratt, an Irish famous preacher, was given many tokens of esteem following a sermon in Rome.&nbsp; One gift from Pope Gregory XVI was some of the remains of St. Valentine, and a &ldquo;Small vessel tinged with his blood&rdquo;.&nbsp; The Reliquary was placed in Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, and has remained there until this day.&nbsp; This was accompanied by a letter claiming the relics were those of St. Valentine. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Valentine is a saint of the Catholic Church that has been celebrated on February 14^th, since the Middle Ages.&nbsp; He is always associated with &ldquo;courtly love&rdquo; although very little is known about him.&nbsp; He does appear in the official Church Martyrology as being martyred on the Via Flaminia close to the Milvian Bridge in Rome.&nbsp; Some of his relics are now in Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, and have remained there until this day.&nbsp; This was a gift from Pope Gregory XVI, and was accompanied by a letter claiming the relics were those of St. Valentine. &nbsp;</p>