A Brief History of Valentine's Day

Every February, all over the world, flowers, candies and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.

But who is this mysterious saint and why the celebration ?

There is some controversy regarding Saint Valentine, for whom the famous day is named. Archaelogists, who unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to St. Valentine, are unsure if there was more than one Valentine. Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred on February 14.

The most popular candidate for St. Valentine was a 3rd century Roman priest, Bishop Valentine. This ...