Valentine was a Roman priest who secretly married couples against the emperor Claudius' orders. When Claudius discovered Valentine's actions, he had Valentine imprisoned and sentenced to death. While in prison, Valentine befriended his jailer's daughter Julia and miraculously cured her of blindness. On the day of his death, Valentine wrote Julia a farewell letter signed "from your Valentine", which is how the tradition of exchanging love letters on February 14th began.

2. The Story of St.
Valentine

3. Valentine was a Roman priest who lived during the third century. At the
time, Rome was ruled by an emperor called Claudius.
Valentine
Claudius

4. Claudius was angry because there weren’t enough Roman men
becoming soldiers as nobody wanted to leave their wives and children
to fight for him.

5. He forbade all men to marry so that they had no families or wives to
use as an excuse for not wanting to join the army.
As Valentine was a priest, he helped the men by marrying them to their
partners in secret.

6. But Claudius soon found out about Valentine and ordered for him to
be arrested and imprisoned.

7. Whilst in jail, Valentine became a teacher to his jailer’s blind daughter,
Julia.

8. It is said that Valentine and Julia became great friends and that
Valentine cured Julia’s blindness with a miracle!

9. On the day that Valentine died, he wrote Julia a goodbye letter and
signed it from ‘your Valentine’.
He died on the 14th
February.

10. Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14. It is a day when people
show their love for one another by giving and receiving cards and gifts.

11. Cupid’s Bow
Cupid, the Roman god of love and affection, is said to help people find
love on Valentine’s Day. He is portrayed as a winged cherub with a bow
and arrow.

12. Gifts
Friends and loved ones give each other delicious candy on
Valentine’s Day.

13. Gifts
They might also give each other flowers – red roses are a popular
Valentine’s gift.

14. Gifts
Valentine’s Day cards are sent with special messages written inside.

15. Romantic Celebrations
Some people celebrate Valentine’s Day by going out for a special dinner
or to the movie theater.

16. Symbols of Love
These are some of the symbols of Valentine’s Day:
dove heart Cupid

17. Talk about it…
How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?