Which saint is associated with February 14 and romantic love?

The saint associated with February 14 and romantic love is Saint Valentine. Western Christian calendars commemorate a martyr named Valentine on February 14, and the date later became linked with courtship, affection, and romantic relationships.

The historical record is unclear because early martyrologies mention more than one Saint Valentine. Traditions usually focus on Valentine of Rome or Valentine of Terni, both associated with third-century Christianity. Stories that he secretly performed marriages for soldiers or sent a farewell message signed “Your Valentine” are popular, but much of this material developed later and cannot be treated as certain history.

The feast was recorded by the eighth century, while its romantic meaning emerged much later. In the fourteenth century, writers connected Valentine’s Day with courtly love, and by eighteenth-century England, lovers commonly exchanged flowers, sweets, and greeting cards.

A common misconception is that the holiday’s romantic customs come directly from the Roman festival of Lupercalia. Historians have found no firm evidence that Pope Gelasius I created Valentine’s feast as a replacement for that festival.