Who is the patron saint of Valentine's Day?

The patron saint traditionally associated with Valentine’s Day is Saint Valentine.

Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century Roman Christian saint and martyr, but the name may refer to more than one historical figure. Valentine of Rome was described as a priest who ministered to persecuted Christians, while Valentine of Terni was identified as a bishop. Both are associated with martyrdom and February 14 in early Christian traditions.

The saint became connected with romantic love during the Middle Ages, especially after 14th-century poetry associated the feast with courtly love and the seasonal pairing of birds. Later legends claimed that Valentine performed marriages for Christian soldiers or sent a farewell note signed “Your Valentine,” but historians treat these details cautiously because they are not firmly established by early evidence.

Saint Valentine is not exclusively a patron of romance. Traditional patronages also include engaged couples, happy marriages, beekeepers, epilepsy, and the Italian city of Terni. The Catholic Church still recognizes him as a saint, although his feast was removed from the General Roman Calendar in the 1969 revision.