Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius 2. He was arrested and sent to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding his promises to renounce his taith ineffectual. Had himbeaten with clubs, and afterwards, beheaded. This occurred on Februry 14, about the year 270. Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to his memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo.    

      His relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of a martyr  in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of thomasius, in the celendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their goddess Februata Juno, on the fifteenth of this month, zealous, pastors substituted the names of sains in billets given on this day.