Another Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time, AD 200. He was imprisoned because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman emperor. Some legends say he was burned at the stake.
February 14 was also a Roman holiday, held in honor of a goddess. Young men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this date spread through Europe in the Middle Ages, and then to the early American colonies. Throughout the ages, people also believed that birds picked their mates on February 14!
In AD 496 Sain Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as "Valentine's Day". Although it's not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day.
Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St. Valentine's Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flower of love. Most people send "valentines," a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine received in jail. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic and heartfelt（真心真意的）. They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous.
Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of colored paper, show that a lot of thought was put into making them personal. Valentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them. In elementary schools children make valentines for their classmates and put them in a large decorated box, similar to a mailbox. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes the valentines to each student. After the students read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments.
For teenagers and adults, major newspapers throughout the country have a Valentine's Day offer. Anyone can send in a message, for a small fee of course, destined for a would-be sweetheart, a good friend, an acquaintance or even a spouse of fifty years. The message is printed in a special section of the newspaper on February 14
每年2月14日，是西方傳統的聖瓦倫丁節（Valentine's Day），又稱“情人節”。
公元三世紀時，古羅馬有壹位暴君叫克勞多斯（Claudius）。離暴君的宮殿不遠，有壹座非常漂亮的神廟。修士瓦倫丁（Valentine） 就住在這裏。羅馬人非常崇敬他，男女老幼，不論貧富貴賤，總會群集在他的周圍，在祭壇的熊熊聖火前，聆聽瓦倫丁的祈禱。
古羅馬的戰事壹直連綿不斷，暴君克勞多斯征召了大批公民前往戰場，人們怨聲載道。男人們不願意離開家庭，小夥子們不忍與情人分開。克勞多斯暴跳如雷，他傳令人們不許舉行婚禮，甚至連所有已訂了婚的也馬上要解除婚約。許多年輕人就這樣告別愛人，悲憤地走向戰場。年輕的姑娘們也由於失去愛侶，抑郁神傷。
瓦倫丁對暴君的虐行感到非常難過。當壹對情侶來到神廟請求他的幫助時，瓦倫丁在神聖的祭壇前為它們悄悄地舉行了婚禮。人們壹傳十，十傳百，很多人來到這裏，在瓦淪丁的幫助下結成伴侶。
壹對情侶在巴黎壹個公園裏的情侶墻前合影。這座用藍色瓷磚鑲嵌而成的墻上，用全世界的不同文字寫滿了311個意為“我愛妳”的句子。
消息終於傳進了宮殿，傳到了暴君的耳裏。克勞多斯又壹次暴跳如雷，他命令士兵們沖進神廟，將瓦倫丁從壹對正在舉行婚禮的新人身旁拖走，投入地牢。人們苦苦哀求暴君的劾免，但都徒勞而返。瓦倫丁終於在地牢裏受盡折磨而死。悲傷的朋友們將他安葬於聖普拉（St. Praxedes）教堂。那壹天是2月14日，那壹年是公元270年。
另外還有壹個版本。傳說中瓦倫丁是最早的基督徒之壹，那個時代做壹名基督徒意味著危險和死亡。為掩護其他殉教者，瓦倫丁被抓住，投入了監牢。在那裏他治愈了典獄長女兒失明的雙眼。當暴君聽到著壹奇跡時，他感到非常害怕，於是將瓦倫丁斬首示眾。據傳說，在行刑的那壹天早晨，瓦倫丁給典獄長的女兒寫了壹封情意綿綿的告別信，落款是: From your Valentine （寄自妳的瓦倫丁）。