Valentine was a Roman Priest [circa 269] at a time when there was an emperor called Claudias II (Claudias the Goth) who persecuted the church at that particular time. He had an edict that prohibited the marriage of young people. This was based on the hypothesis that unmarried soldiers fought better than married soldiers because married soldiers might be afraid of what might happen to them or their wives or families if they died.
Since Valentine was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentine was arrested and imprisoned. One of the men who was to judge him in line with the Roman law at that time was his jailer, a man called Asterius, who's daughter was blind. Valentine prayed and healed her with such astonishing effect that Asterius himself became a Christian. Valentine fell in love with her.
Claudius took a liking to this prisoner - until Valentine made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor - whereupon Valentine was condemned to death. Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution of a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation. The last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius' daughter. He signed it, "from your Valentine."
