What Was Saint Valentine?

St. Valentine’s skull, adorned with flowers, is kept in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. This relic, believed to belong to St. Valentine of Rome, is displayed in a glass reliquary inside the church. St. Valentine was a 3rd-century Christian priest (or possibly a bishop) who was martyred on February 14th, 269 AD under Emperor Claudius II. According to legend, he performed secret marriages for Christian couples and was executed for defying the emperor’s orders. Over time, his name became associated with love and romance, giving rise to Valentine’s Day on February 14.

Several other churches also claim to possess relics of St. Valentine, including Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, which houses a reliquary said to contain his remains, as well as St. Anton’s Church in Madrid, and the Basilica of St. Valentine in Terni. While the authenticity of these relics remains uncertain, the skull in Rome remains one of the most famous and frequently visited.

Photo from Martina V.