Yes, I'm talking about Valentine's Day, and it's just around the corner! This is cobd, here to tell you the background of this long-lived holiday.

We all know that this holiday is based on the saint named Valentine. But who is he? In the Catholic Church, there are three saints with the name Valentine. All three of them were martyred, dying for their faith.

One story about Valentine tells us that he was in prison and he was in love with the jailers' daughter (in England it's spelled gaolers by the way). The daughter often visited Valentine, who cured her of her blindness. Before he was executed, he left a note saying, "From your Valentine." No wonder it is still said today. What a romantic gesture!

Another legend about Valentine describes him as a priest in Rome. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men fight better than men with wives and family, so he stopped all new marriages for young men. When Valentine learned of this, he decided to keep on performing ceremonies for young lovers. In response, Claudius ordered that Valentine should be put to death.

How long do you think that Valentine's Day has been going on? Believe it or not, the actual date was decided by Pope Gelasius in 498 A.D. That's more than 1,500 years ago.

The first Valentine recorded came from Charles, Duke of Orleans, after he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

So, there's some history of this popular holiday. Enjoy!

Source: The History Channel Valentine's history