St Valentine’s Day, happens next Tuesday on February 14. It’s a day where people show their love and affection for another person – usually in the form of cards, flowers, chocolates, etc.

So you ask “Who is St. Valentine?” The details are sketchy. Some say St. Valentine was a priest from Rome who lived in the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriages, believing married men made bad soldiers and St Valentine is thought to have arranged marriages in secret. He was imprisoned and sentenced to death for his crimes. There, St Valentine apparently fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and sent her a love letter signed ‘from your Valentine’ on February 14th, the day of his execution, as a goodbye. The name ‘Valentinus’ is found in the “Martyrologium Hieronymianum”, a book which was compiled between 460 and 544. The feast of St Valentine of February 14th was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who included Valentine among all those “… whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God.”

So you ask “What’s Cupid got to do with it all?” Cupid is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the war god Mars.Cupid is also known in Latin also as Amor (“Love”). His Greek counterpart is Eros and he is just one of the ancient symbols associated with St Valentine’s Day, along with the shape of a heart, doves, and the colors red and pink. He is usually portrayed as a small winged figure with a bow and arrow which he uses to strike the hearts of people. People who fall into deep love are said to be ‘struck by Cupid’s arrow.’

Those we’re just some quick fun facts on Valentine’s Day. We hope you enjoy this Valentine’s Day with the people you love and care most about!