The story goes that a priest (or bishop) in Rome (or Terni) was under house arrest and was speaking with a judge about Jesus when the judge’s blind daughter came in. The judge said he would do anything for the priest if he could restore her sight. The priest laid his hand on the girl’s eyes, prayed, and when she opened her eyes she could see. The judge immediately freed all the Christian prisoners under his control and was baptized, along with all his family and servants.

The priest was later arrested again and sent to the Roman emporer, Claudius II. The emporer told the priest to either renounce his religion or lose his head. You can probably guess which path the priest chose. His head is now on display in the Church of Santa Maria in Rome.

On this day, in the year 269, the priest who would go on to become the patron saint of beekeepers and epilepsy, was beaten to death and beheaded. In addition to his skull in Rome, pieces of his body are claimed as relics in churches in Madrid, Dublin, Vienna, Malta, Glasgow, Poland, and Prague.

Before losing his head, the priest wrote a note to the judge’s daughter whose sight he restored and signed it, “from your Valentine.” Since the Middle Ages that message has resounded as a symbol of courtly love, like the ones I found in my father’s drawer after he died.

Happy Valentine’s Day.