AsearlyasthefourthcenturyB.C.,theRomansengagedinanannualyoungman'sritetopassagetotheGodLupercus.Thenamesoftheteenagewomenwereplacedinaboxanddrawnatrandombyadolescentmen;thus,amanwasassignedawomancompanionforthedurationoftheyear,afterwhichanotherlotterywasstaged.Aftereighthundredyearsofthiscruelpractice,theearlychurchfatherssoughttoendthispractice...TheyfoundananswerinValentine,abishopwhohadbeenmartyredsometwohundredyearsearlier. 　　AccordingtochurchtraditionSt.ValentinewasapriestnearRomeinabouttheyear270A.D.AtthattimetheRomanEmperorClaudius-IIwhohadissuedanedictforbiddingmarriage. 　　ThiswasaroundwhentheheydayofRomanempirehadalmostcometoanend.Lackofqualityadministratorsledtofrequentcivilstrife.Learningdeclined,taxationincreased,andtradeslumpedtoalow,precariouslevel.AndtheGauls,Slavs,Huns,TurksandMongoliansfromNorthernEuropeandAsianincreasedtheirpressureontheempire'sboundaries.Theempirewasgrowntoolargetobeshieldedfromexternalaggressionandinternalchaoswithexistingforces.Thusmoreofcapablemenwererequiredtoberecruitedassoldiersandofficers.WhenClaudiusbecametheemperor,hefeltthatmarriedmenweremoreemotionallyattachedtotheirfamilies,andthus,willnotmakegoodsoldiers.Sotoassurequalitysoldiers,hebannedmarriage. 　　Valentine,abishop,seeingthetraumaofyounglovers,mettheminasecretplace,andjoinedtheminthesacramentofmatrimony.Claudiuslearnedofthis"friendoflovers,"andhadhimarrested.Theemperor,impressedwiththeyoungpriest'sdignityandconviction,attemptedtoconverthimtotheromangods,tosavehimfromcertainexecution.ValentinerefusedtorecognizeRomanGodsandevenattemptedtoconverttheemperor,knowingtheconsequencesfully. 　　OnFebruary24,270,Valentinewasexecuted. 　　"FromyourValentine" 　　WhileValentinewasinprisonawaitinghisfate,hecameincontactwithhisjailor,Asterius.Thejailorhadablinddaughter.Asteriusrequestedhimtohealhisdaughter.ThroughhisfaithhemiraculouslyrestoredthesightofAsterius'daughter.Justbeforehisexecution,heaskedforapenandpaperfromhisjailor,andsignedafarewellmessagetoher"FromYourValentine,"aphrasethatlivedeverafter. 　　ValentinethusbecomeaPatronSaint,andspiritualoverseerofanannualfestival.ThefestivalinvolvedyoungRomansofferingwomentheyadmired,andwishedtocourt,handwrittengreetingsofaffectiononFebruary14.ThegreetingcardsacquiredSt.Valentine'sname. 　　TheValentine'sDaycardspreadwithChristianity,andisnowcelebratedallovertheworld.Oneoftheearliestcardwassentin1415byCharles,dukeofOrleans,tohiswifewhilehewasaprisonerintheTowerofLondon.ThecardisnowpreservedintheBritishMuseum.