Editing Saint Valentine (section)

==Hagiography and testimony==
[[File:Valentineanddisciples.jpg|thumb|Saint Valentine of Terni oversees the construction of his [[basilica]] at [[Terni]], from a 14th-century French manuscript. ([[Bibliothèque National|BN]], Mss fr. 185)]]
[[File:Valentine-Epilepsy.jpg|thumb|Saint Valentine healing epilepsy, illustrated by Dr. František Ehrmann, {{circa|1899}}]]
The inconsistency in the identification of the saint is replicated in the various [[Curriculum vitae|vitae]] that are ascribed to him.

A common hagiography describes Saint Valentine as a priest of Rome or as the former Bishop of [[Terni]], an important town of [[Umbria]], in central [[Italy]]. While under house arrest of Judge Asterius, and discussing his faith with him, Valentinus (the Latin version of his name) was discussing the validity of [[Jesus]]. The judge put Valentinus to the test and brought to him the judge's adopted blind daughter. If Valentinus succeeded in restoring the girl's sight, Asterius would do whatever he asked. Valentinus, praying to God, [[Christian laying on of hands|laid his hands]] on her eyes and the child's vision was restored.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Palacios-Sánchez |first1=Leonardo |last2=Díaz-Galindo |first2=Luisa María |last3=Botero-Meneses |first3=Juan Sebastián |title=Saint Valentine: Patron of lovers and epilepsy |journal=Repertorio de Medicina y Cirugía |date=October 2017 |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=253–255 |doi=10.1016/j.reper.2017.08.004 |quote=Valentine placed his hands over her eyes, prayed to God, and Julia was able to see. Asterius, in awe of Valentine's power, converted to Christianity, along with 46 members of his family. He then also freed all Christians who were confined in his prison.|doi-access=free }}</ref> 

Immediately humbled, the judge asked Valentinus what he should do. Valentinus replied that all of the [[Idolatry|idols]] around the judge's house should be broken, and that the judge should fast for three days and then undergo the Christian sacrament of [[baptism]]. The judge obeyed and, as a result of his fasting and prayer, freed all the [[Christians|Christian]] inmates under his authority. The judge, his family, and his forty-four member [[household]] of adult family members and servants were baptised.<ref>Castleden, Rodney, ''The Book of Saints''. 2006, p. 28.</ref> 

Valentinus was later arrested again for continuing to [[evangelism|evangelise]]. He was sent to the prefect of Rome, to the emperor [[Claudius Gothicus]] (Claudius II) himself. Claudius took a liking to him until Valentinus tried to convince Claudius to [[conversion to Christianity|embrace Christianity]]. Claudius refused and condemned Valentinus to death, commanding that Valentinus either renounce his faith or he would be beaten with clubs and beheaded. Valentinus refused and was executed outside the [[Piazza del Popolo|Flaminian Gate]] on February 14, 269.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159|title=St. Valentine|work=Catholic Online}}</ref>

[[File: Jean-Léon Gérôme - The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer - Walters 37113.jpg|thumb|276x276px|Saint Valentine is said to have ministered to the faithful amidst the [[persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire]].<ref name="Cooper2013"/>]]
An embellishment to this account states that before his execution, Saint Valentine wrote a note to Asterius's daughter signed "from your Valentine", which is said to have "inspired today's romantic missives".<ref name="Kithcart2013">{{cite web |last1=Kithcart |first1=David |title=St. Valentine, the Real Story |url=https://www1.cbn.com/st-valentine-real-story |publisher=[[Christian Broadcasting Network|CBN]] |language=en |date=25 September 2013|quote=In the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three-part execution of a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation all because of his stand for Christian marriage. The story goes that the last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius' daughter. He inspired today's romantic missives by signing it, 'from your Valentine.'}}</ref>

The ''[[Golden Legend|Legenda Aurea]]'' of [[Jacobus de Voragine]], compiled {{Circa|1260|lk=no}} and one of the most-read books of the [[High Middle Ages]], gives sufficient details of the saints for each day of the liturgical year to inspire a homily on each occasion. The very brief ''vita'' of St Valentine states that he was executed for refusing to deny Christ by the order of the "Emperor Claudius" in the year 269.<ref>Under the circumstances, Emperor Claudius was a detail meant to enhance verisimilitude. Attempts to identify him with the only 3rd-century Claudius, [[Claudius Gothicus]], who spent his brief reign (268–270) away from Rome winning his [[cognomen]], are illusions in pursuit of a literary phantom: "No evidence outside several late saints' legends suggests that Claudius II reversed the policy of toleration established by the policy of his predecessor [[Gallienus]]", Jack Oruch states, in "St. Valentine, Chaucer, and Spring in February", ''Speculum'' '''56'''.3 (July 1981), p. 536, referencing [[William H. C. Frend]], ''Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church'' (New York, 1967, p. 326.</ref> Before his head was cut off, this Valentine restored sight and hearing to the daughter of his jailer. Jacobus makes a play with the etymology of "Valentine", "as containing valor".

A popularly ascribed hagiographical identity appears in the [[Nuremberg Chronicle]] (1493). Alongside a woodcut portrait of Valentine, the text states that he was a Roman priest of exceptional learning who converted the daughter of Asterius and forty-nine others to Christianity before being martyred during the reign of [[Claudius Gothicus]].<ref>''[[Nuremberg Chronicle]]'' folio CXXII recto.</ref>

There are many other legends behind Saint Valentine. One is that the priest Valentine defied the order of the emperor and secretly performed [[Christian views on marriage|Christian weddings]] for couples, allowing the husbands involved to escape conscription into the Roman army. This legend claims that soldiers were sparse at this time so this was a great inconvenience to the emperor.<ref name="Christensen1997">{{cite book |last1=Christensen |first1=Max L. |title=Heroes and Saints: More Stories of People Who Made a Difference |date=1997 |publisher=[[Westminster John Knox Press]] |isbn=9780664257026 |language=en}}</ref> The account mentions that in order "to remind these men of their vows and God’s love, Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment", giving them to these [[Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire|persecuted Christians]], a possible origin of the widespread use of hearts on St. Valentine's Day.<ref name="Frank Staff 1969">Frank Staff, ''The Valentine & Its Origins'', 1969, Frederick A. Praeger.</ref>