As you wake up after an evening of romancing the love of your life, you may well be asking, why did I spend the best part of $2,000 on a bunch of roses and a candlelit dinner for two? The answer is clear - up to a point.
While there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day probably took its name from a priest who was martyred in the year 270 by the Roman emperor Claudius II Gothicus.
So how did he become a saint? Some say that Valentine was executed after secretly marrying Christian couples during a time when marriages were banned by Emperor Claudius, who believed he could not recruit enough soldiers because they were reluctant to leave their wives behind. Others believe he cured his jailer's daughter through prayer - subsequently sending her a note signed 'Your Valentine' on the day of his execution.