St. Valentine
The various martyrologies include at least ten holy men named Valentine. Interestingly, each of them died as a martyr for love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Polish National Catholic Church commemorates the martyr Valentine who was killed in the persecution of Claudius II, the Goth, in 269. This martyr’s history appears in the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 alongside the woodcut portrait of Valentine. The text indicates that he was a priest of the Roman diocese who was arrested and imprisoned when he was found to be ministering to Christians who were imprisoned. The text further indicates that he performed marriages for Christian couples facing death. The Emperor Claudius took a liking to Valentine until Valentine tried to convert the Emperor to Christianity.
Valentine was condemned to death. The Emperor ordered that he be beaten with clubs and stoned. Having failed to kill Valentine the Emperor ordered that he be beheaded. Valentine was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269.