The Romantic Origins of the Most Romantic Day of the Year

Are you excited for Valentine's Day?  Yeah, me neither.  It's alright and I used to like it more, but sometimes, it's hard to stop being jaded.  I mean, the fact that all of my children are alive today is the greatest testament of my love for them, right?  Last night, when I got home from callbacks, and my husband didn't run up the stairs to tell me how glad he was that I was home and that he couldn't wait to spend the rest of the hour we would still be up together, and I didn't throttle him is a testament of my love for him, right?  Yes, that's true.  He was "busy" in the basement playing Border Lands.  So please, forgive me if I don't feel all lovey-dovey towards this day any more.
But I have always been curious, so I thought I would look up information about this Saint Valentine fella and I liked what I read.  Wikipedia says there is a lot of indecision about who he really was, but I found this story.  Who knows if it really is the "real story"  I mean 269 was a really long time ago and they didn't keep excellent records back then.  It was hard!  Give them a break.
Any way, so there was this guy who didn't like Christians or Christianity while he was ruling Rome.  He decided that he didn't want young people to get married.  He wanted his soldiers to be focused on fighting and being tough.  He thought that being married would distract them from being super macho, or something.  They'd rather be with their wives than fight or something.  Well, that makes sense to me, but if it's your job to go fight and that's what you are getting paid to do and you're supporting your family, I think you're going to leave for a little while and maybe fight a little bit harder to stay alive and get back home.  Just a thought.
This Saint Valentine guy was a Bishop in the Catholic church.  He thought Emperor Claudius was an idiot and began to marry couples in secret.  That's where the romance part comes into the story.  Oh, my gosh, that is so romantic!  Eventually, he got caught and put in prison.  That's usually what happens.  He needed a better place to perform his marriages if you ask me.  Somewhere hidden.  Somewhere safe.  I suppose he could have been betrayed though.  That's pretty plausible considering that most people can be bought for a price.
This is where things get kind of more towards the legend side of the story (the part nobody really knows if it is true or not, but it's awesome!  So, why not?).  Apparently, while he was in prison, he healed the daughter of his judge and cured her blindness.  This man was so happy and thankful and amazed that he decided to convert to Christianity.  According to Wikipedia, he was converted, and also fourty others were baptized as well.  Asterius also freed all of the Christian prisoners he had charge over.  That was pretty nice of him.
Later, Emperor Claudius caught him again and tortured him, beat him, and had his head cut off.
And now you know why Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year!

Aren't you glad we don't have to get married in secret any more?  

Oh. Wait.  That's why people elope.  ;)