Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

This version is far less romantic than what Mya suggested though

If I got to choose, I would probably celebrate it the way we do today, seems less dangerous

In my religion it was known as

The Feast of Lubercus
The first interpretation has this celebration originating as a pagan tradition in the third century. During this time hordes of hungry wolves roamed outside of Rome where shepherds kept their flocks. The God Lupercus, was said to watch over the shepherds and their flocks and keep them from the wolves. Every February the Romans celebrated a feast called Lupercalia to honor Lupercus so that no harm would come to the shepherds and their flocks. Also during Lupercalia, but in honor of the goddess Juno Februata, the names of young women were put into a box and names were drawn by lot. The boys and girls who were matched would be considered partners for the year, which began in March. This celebration continued long after wolves were a problem to Rome.

St. Valentine's Day
As Christianity became prevalent, priests attempted to replace old heathen practices. To Christianize the ancient pagan celebration of the Feast of Lubercus, the church officials changed the name to St. Valentine's Day. To give the celebration further meaning and eliminate pagan traditions, priests substituted the drawing of Saints names for the names of the girls. On St. Valentine's Day the priest placed saint's names into an urn or box. The young people then drew a name from the container. In the following year, the youth was supposed to emulate the life of the saint whose name he had drawn.

its amazing how many ways it is interpreted.

mr hallmark invented it in that tiny little hamlet known to the world as madison ave,nyc..wherever it came from i'm good with it..happy valentines day to all the ladies..

Ho hum, another one. Valentines Day is bland and it is boring. It’s just one more business day in this here, a’rip roar’n, wild, wild west… Ho hum, and to think that that Valentine character was a Saint!!!

Some Saint. Now listen…

Did you know that Saint Valentine was from the landed gentry? (i.e. He never had to pay the rent, because he was the landlord! His Mommy and Daddy owned everything.) Old Mr. Valentine employed dwarves dressed like cupids, bearing hearts and flowers for his ladies fair. And, for the most part, he lavished his attentions on ladies from the under class! He bought his fantasies lock stock and barrel, but he couldn’t by the ladies souls! He was one of those, lowly, pathetic guys that had to pay and pay and pay because he couldn’t keep a lady any other way!  

How many of the ladies will think of him as a “Saint” when they opened that box of chocolates or smelled them there roses from a client or two? How many of you think of the Pope and Sainthood when you are faking it? I mean, don’t you have to do something special to be a Saint? Old Saint Valentine was one of those “Saint’s” that “bought’ his relatives out of purgatory; and, at the same time, bought himself the grandeur and holiness of Sainthood from the Catholic Church. Yes indeed, old “Saint Valentine” thought everything had a price; but, does it?

Now, you sure can’t buy Sainthood here in the States. At least, I hope you can’t do that here in this great and powerful country: at least not in the year 2007. I don’t even think oil rich Arabs can do that: though they may try and try and try. In this great country, if you are a Saint, you’ve got to pay your dues. You’ve got to EARN your Sainthood. Right?

Now, for every one of you wonderful, hard working ladies that sells a fantasy or two on Valentines Day; I hope you were paid double or triple; because that is what you/we are worth! The chocolates and the roses are just part of the fantasy even though the client may foot the bill. Those cupids are really just pathetic, under paid dwarves with make-up. In there own pathetic way, they would be struggling too, but they have money, right? And, in one way or another they are connected to the man. Just like us, they are part of a fantasy, Saint Valentine’s fantasy. Let’s not forget that…

And, let’s not forget that it’s the money that’s important, right? Not the chocolates, not the roses, not the perfume. It’s the money. It’s the product. It’s the business. Fantasy for sale!!! The client buys a product and we are paid. And, let’s not forget that “Saint Valentine” pays and pays and pays for his little fantasies; so let’s make him pay all the more.

And, let’s remember that no matter what the client offers, he can never buy our souls.

LOVE, PEACE AND POWER TO THE PEOPLE,

En’sh’aalha,

Sheika Fatima
[email protected]

Gotta perform a miracle or sumtin' to get Sainthood me thinks. Can I put on a diaper, bring my bow and arrow and shoot you? Love, baby, love!

This Sheika is sum' spicy caliente dame.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! I use it as yet another reason to show those I care about some love. Nice little cards. Sweet thoughts. SO share a smile at least on that day with a few strangers. You never now what will happen!

All you need is love,

Sheika your coming off as a client hater akin to April of old. If every hobbyist in town were to take a break for a cpl of weeks it wouldnt be us that suffers overly much.
Frankly after reading that little diatribe im inclined to spend the 600 i would normally spend with the ladies in town and spend it on something more concrete like a few games for my xbox 360....
both are entertaining after all and Gears of War has Chainsaw swords.......