Valentine's Day is celebrated by nations around the world. The origin of the holiday is as ambiguous as the various traditions countries have created to celebrate the occasion.
The Valentine's Day link with romance is commonly attributed to Victorian England. However, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred. There are arguments to support each one of these as being the inspiration for the holiday. But the one most historians attribute to the annual celebration of love is the Roman St. Valentine.
Legend contends this Valentine was a Roman priest in the third century. During this period, Emperor Claudius II was in dire need of soldiers to fill the ranks of those who were being lost in war.
