In 1969, the Catholic Church revised its liturgical calendar, removing the feast days of saints whose historical origins were questionable. St. Valentine was one of the casualties. The saint was first celebrated in 494 A.D. after Pope Gelasius I announced the day to commemorate the death and martyrship of St. Valentine, who was beheaded by the Romans on February 14, 269, A.D.

Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II in the second half of III century A.D.

At this stage, the factual ends and the mythic begins. According to one legend, Claudius II had prohibited marriage for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans.

Much later, in XIX century, Pope Grigorius XVI gifted St. Valentine's remains to Whitefriar Street Carmelite church in Dublin, Ireland.

Probably the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.