Truth be told, no one knows the definitive origin of Valentine’s Day. However, there are multiple popular theories, one of which involves an ancient Roman emperor and a compassionate, risk-taking priest.

Emperor Claudius the Second of Rome was very war-driven and wanted his soldiers to perform as well as possible, but he felt that this was not an accomplishable goal if his men were so focused on their wives and families. Because of this, he banned the marriage of young military-aged citizens – a decision that was not very popular among his people.

Saint Valentine of Terni believed that marriage was a God given right and began secretly marrying couples, which was eventually discovered by the emperor. He was imprisoned because of his advocacy for love and God. It is rumored that during his time spent in prison, he befriended the daughter of a guard and wrote her a note that was signed off “From your Valentine,” which is likely where this popular expression originated from.

Valentine was sentenced to death; he was tortured and eventually beheaded on February 14, around 270 A.D.

Some historians also believe that Valentine’s Day occurs on the fourteenth in order to distract from the Pagan fertility holiday, Lupercalia, that occured on February 15. In this celebration, men would hit women with the bloody skin of sacrificed dogs and goats, which was supposed to cause fertility.

Valentine’s Day did not become as romanticized as it is today until the lifetimes of Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare. Chaucer is accredited as being the first known person to have created an existing documentation of Saint Valentine’s Day as a romantic celebration in his work, “Parliament of Fowls.”

“For this was on seynt Valentynes day / Whan every foul cometh ther to chese his make,” he said in his work.

Today, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love in which people give candy, flowers, and sweet notes to their loved ones. However, it is important to remember the martyred ancient priest who gave his life for the freedom of the expression of love.