Special to WorldTribune.com

By Bill Federer, February 14, 2026

The origin of Saint Valentine’s Day goes back to the early Christian history of Roman persecutions.

Today, at a time when many governments are increasing persecution of Christians, it is important to remember that the Church was born into a one-world anti-Christian government — the Roman Empire.

During the first three centuries of Christianity, there were ten major persecutions, along with innumerable smaller ones.

Initially, Romans persecuted Jews and Christians together. Christians met in catacombs, which were caves carved underground, for their church meetings, and risked their lives every time they gathered together.

Government agents shut down churches, arrested pastors, sentenced believers to death, even throwing them to the lions in the Colosseum.

64-68 A.D.: Emperor Nero blamed fire in Rome on Christians and began the first persecution; 69-79 A.D.

Roman soldiers raided meetings and arrested believers, dragging them before corrupt judges, and also confiscated and destroyed Christian writings, scriptures and church records.

As a result of this, records of the life of Saint Valentine are scant.

What little is known is from the works like Eusebius of Caesarea, and the Martyrologium Hieronymianum — Martyrology of Jerome, compiled around 460-544 A.D.

Though several individuals may have had that name, it appears Saint Valentine was either a priest in Rome or a bishop in Terni, central Italy.

In the third century after Christ, the Roman Empire was being invaded by Goths.

Claudius II defeated the Goths at the Battle of Naissus, 268-269 A.D., driving them across the Danube River, gaining him the additional name “Gothicus, meaning conqueror of the Goths.

At the same time, the Plague of Cyprian, c. 270 A.D., probably smallpox, broke out killing at its height 5,000 people a day.

So many died that the Roman army was depleted of soldiers.

Emperor Claudius II Gothicus needed more soldiers to fight the invading Goths.

He believed that men fought better if they were not married, so he banned traditional marriage in the military.

Valentine risked the Emperor’s wrath by standing up for traditional marriage, secretly marrying soldiers to their brides.

Rome was also being torn from internal rivalries which continued since the assassination of the previous Emperor Gallienus in 268 A.D.

Claudius quelled political tensions by requesting the Roman Senate deify Emperor Gallienus, so he would be worshiped along with the other Roman gods.

Government mandates were issued forcing citizens to worship them by placing a pinch of incense on a fire before their statues.

It was a simple act, and some Christians caved, but since it clearly “an act of worship,” others chose rather to die in the Colosseum before they would worship anything other than the one true God.

Those who refused worship of the Roman gods were considered “politically incorrect” or “unpatriotic” enemies of the state.

They were cancelled and killed. Emperor Deccan’s persecution, 250-251 A.D., intentionally targeted Christians by issuing government mandates and executive orders forcing them to deny their consciences or die.

An example of persecution was Roman Governor Pliny the Younger, who wrote to Emperor Trajan, 111 A.D.:

“I ask them if they are Christians. If they admit it, I repeat the question … threatening capital punishment; if they persist, I sentence them to death.”

Emperor Trajan replied, 112 A.D.:

“If anyone denies that he is a Christian and actually proves it by worshiping our gods, he shall be pardoned as a result of his recantation.”

When Claudius II Gothicus demanded that Christians worship pagan idols and statues of deified Emperors, Saint Valentine refused.

Venerable Bede’s Martyrology, compiled in the 8th century, described St. Valentine being arrested and interrogated by Claudius II Gothicus.

Claudius was impressed with Valentine and tried to convert him to paganism to save his life.

Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead.

Because of this, Claudius was offended.

Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to die.

While awaiting execution, he preached to guards and other prisoners.

His jailer, Asterius, asked Saint Valentine to pray for his blind daughter.

When she miraculously regained her sight, the jailer converted and was baptized, along with his entire family.

Right before his execution, Saint Valentine wrote a note to the jailer’s daughter, encouraging her in the faith, signing it, “from your Valentine.”

Saint Valentine was beaten with clubs and stones, and when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on FEBRUARY 14, 269 A.D.

I John 4:18 “Perfect love casteth out fear.”

In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius is credited with designating FEBRUARY 14th as “Saint Valentine’s Day.”

How did St. Valentine’s Day get associated with love?

In the High Middle Ages, circa 1393, Geoffrey Chaucer, called the father of English literature, wrote a poem called Parliament of Foules — Assembly of Fowls, or Birds. “Fowl” is an old word for “bird.”

It it he described how many bird species birds, chose their mates in mid-February:

“For this was Saint Valentine’s day, when every bird of every kind that men can imagine comes to this place to choose his mate.”

The association of birds with fidelity in marital love came about because the majority of bird species are believed to be monogamous.

Many bird species are considered to mate for life, such as varieties of:

Swans, Geese, Ravens, Cranes, Blue Jays, Owls, Hawks, Woodpeckers, Ospreys, Raptors, Puffins, Pigeons, Dove, Penquins, and Bald Eagles.

After elaborate courtships, depending on the species, these birds remain together until one partner dies.

Birds that mate for life often take turns sitting on the eggs, females at night and males during the day.

After Chaucer’s poems, more references appeared in literature associating Saint Valentine’s Day with courtly love.

William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1600, Act IV, Scene I:

“Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past.
Begin these woodbirds but to couple now?”

Since the Roman persecutions, Christianity has become the most persecuted faith in the world, with over 300 being martyred each day, or one every five minutes, mostly in communist and fundamentalist Islamic countries.

The Center for Studies on New Religions reported that in 2016, 90,000 Christians killed, 30 percent by sharia Islamic terrorists.

Several organizations keep track of this, such as the Persecution Project, Voice of the Martyrs, Christian Solidarity International, Equipping the Persecuted, and SavethePersecutedChristians.org

Saint Valentine’s love for Christ and his loving example of heroic valor still inspires believers to follow the scriptures:

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:44

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

  Saint Valentine beheaded after defying Emperor’s order banning marriage for Roman soldiers