FEBRUARY 14 - SAINT VALENTINE

Saint Valentine (approx. 176 - Rome, 14 Feb. 273) Bishop of Terni and Martyr. According to tradition, he died by beheading under Aurelian, at 97, after torture. He was imprisoned for having joined in marriage the young Serapio, christian and the roman legionary Sabino, pagan, who had urgently requested baptism in order to join the love, seriously ill; the two dead together immediately after the celebration. For this episode, the saint is venerated as the patron saint of in lovers, but so also of epileptics. According to some sources it would actually two distinct historical characters, a bishop of Terni, and the other Roman presbyter (that would miraculously healed from blindness through prayer, as a prisoner, the daughter of a jailer, whose he was in love), both executed by decapitation on the via Flaminia. Colored engraving, Italy 1886 Commemoration February 14th. Colored engraving from Diodore Rahoult, Italy 1886 (Photo by Fototeca Gilardi/Getty Images).