St. Valentine was a Christian priest and martyr who lived about AD 270. The Roman emperor at the time was Claudius II. Claudius had been a successful general. He would not allow his soldiers to marry because he wanted to make sure they could go to battle quickly. He thought family ties would make the men reluctant to leave home. Because Valentine promoted marriage and family life, he was jailed and later convicted of going against the orders of the emperor. He was martyred on February 14, the day we remember him and our loved ones. While he was in jail, the jailer's daughter befriended him. He wrote her a letter of appreciation and signed it "Your Valentine". The tradition of exchanging valentines grew out of that heartfelt gesture.