The real Valentine.

Today I heard the true story of how valentines' day actually came about. This is the basic jist of it...

"Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families.
As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off.
He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. While in jail, awating his fate, he became aquainted with the jailers daughter and fell in love with her, the night before his death, he wrote his last letter to her, it was signed, "from your valentine". Thus, the custom of valentines and valentines' day."

It's a pretty neat story. Though I wonder how the whole "chocolate" thing came about. (Not that I mind.)