Fun Fact #270

St Valentine's day is celebrated pretty much universally throughout Christendom on 14 February.  Little if anything is known of the real Valentine and he may in fact be a portmanteau of several Roman Martyrs bearing that name.  The traditional story is that Valentinus was a priest in Rome during the reign of Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II) at which time Christians were being persecuted and aiding Christians was a crime.  Valentinus is reputed to have aided young Christian couples by marrying them in secret against imperial edict.  At any event Valentinus was discovered and imprisoned for his crimes but because the Emperor had grown fond of him was treated well whilst imprisoned.  That is until he tried to convert the Emperor to Christianity at which point he was condemned to death. Initially it was attempted to beat him to death with stones and clubs but when that did not do the job he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate.  The year of his execution is uncertain with dates of 269, 270 and 273 AD being given.  He is reputed to have been buried on 14 February hence that date has become St Valentine's Day.  Not only is St Valentine the patron saint of betrothed lovers he is also the patron saint of beekeepers, of happy marriages and the patron saint against epilepsy, plague and fainting. True Story.