Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint

Valentine, is an annual holiday celebrated on February, 14. It originated as

History
Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine. The Valentines honored on
February, 14 are Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni. Valentine of Rome was a priest
in Rome who was martyred in 269 and was added to the calendar of saints by Pope Galesius
in 496 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. The relics of Saint Valentine were kept in
the Church and Catacombs of San Valentino in Rome, which "remained an important pilgrim
site throughout the Middle Ages until the relics of St. Valentine were transferred to the church
of Santa Prassededuring the pontificate of Nicholas IV". The flower-crowned skull of Saint
Valentine is exhibited in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. Other relics are
found at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Legends
J.C. Cooper, in The Dictionary of Christianity, writes that Saint Valentine was "a
priest of Rome who was imprisoned for succouring persecuted Christians." Contemporary
records of Saint Valentine were most probably destroyed during this Diocletianic
Persecution in the early 4th century. In the 5th or 6th century, a work called Passio Marii et
Marthae published a story of martyrdom for Saint Valentine of Rome, perhaps by borrowing
tortures that happened to other saints, as was usual in the literature of that period. The same
events are also found in Bede's Martyrology, which was compiled in the 8th century. It states
that Saint Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman
Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion
with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life.
Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he
was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing
Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius. The jailer's daughter and his forty-six
member household (family members and servants) came to believe in Jesus and
were baptized.

Folk traditions
While the European folk traditions connected with Saint Valentine and St. Valentine's
Day have become marginalized by the modern Anglo-American customs connecting the day
with romantic love, there are some remaining associations connecting the saint with the
advent of spring.
While the custom of sending cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts originated in
the UK, Valentine's Day still remains connected with various regional customs in England.
In Norfolk, a character called 'Jack' Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses leaving
sweets and presents for children. Although he was leaving treats, many children were scared
of this mystical person.
Court of love
 The earliest description of February 14 as an annual celebration of love appears in
the Charter of the Court of Love. The charter, allegedly issued by Charles VI of
Franceat Mantes-la-Jolie in 1400, describes lavish festivities to be attended by several
members of the royal court, including a feast, amorous song and poetry
competitions, jousting and dancing. Amid these festivities, the attending ladies would hear
and rule on disputes from lovers. No other record of the court exists, and none of those named
in the charter were present at Mantes except Charles's queen, Isabeau of Bavaria, who may
well have imagined it all while waiting out a plague.
Modern times
In 1797, a British publisher issued The Young Man's Valentine Writer, which
contained scores of suggested sentimental verses for the young lover unable to compose his
own. Printers had already begun producing a limited number of cards with verses and
sketches, called "mechanical valentines." Paper Valentines became so popular in England in
the early 19th century that they were assembled in factories. Fancy Valentines were made
with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in the mid-19th century. In 1835,
60,000 Valentine cards were sent by post in Britain, despite postage being expensive.
In 1868, the British chocolate company Cadbury created Fancy Boxes a decorated
box of chocolates in the shape of a heart for Valentine's Day. Boxes of filled chocolates
quickly became associated with the holiday. In the second half of the 20th century, the
practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts, such as giving jewelry.
In the modern era, liturgically, the Anglican Church has a service for St. Valentine's
Day (the Feast of St. Valentine), which includes the optional rite of the renewal of marriage
vows. In 2016, Catholic Bishops of England and Wales established a novena prayer "to
support single people seeking a spouse ahead of St Valentines Day."
Celebration and status worldwide
Latin America
In some Latin American countries Saint Valentine's Day is known as day of lovers or as Day
of Love and Friendship. For example, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, as well as others.
It is also common to see people perform "acts of appreciation" for their friends.
In Guatemala it is known as the Affection Day.
United States
In the United States, about 190 million Valentine's Day cards are sent each year, not including
the hundreds of millions of cards school children exchange. Additionally, in recent decades
Valentine's Day has become increasingly commercialized and a popular gift-giving event,
with Valentines Day themed advertisements encouraging spending on loved ones. In fact, in
the United States alone, the average valentines spending has increased every year, from $108
a person in 2010 to $131 in 2013.