Did you know that San Valentino was Italian? The patron saint of love lived in Roma in the third century. But when we took a deeper look, we found that our celebration of l’amore has even more ancient roots. San Valentino was born in Terni, a small town in central Umbria. Little is known of his life, though there are numerous legends of his ardor to convert his neighbors to Christianity.

When he moved to Rome, he began to marry Christian couples in secret. Word spread to Emperor Claudius II, who demanded that Valentino renounce his faith. Valentino refused and was martyred on February 14, 269.