The feast of Saint Valentine began as a Catholic Church celebration honoring a saint who lived in the third century. According to legend, when Emperor Claudius II put a ban on marriages of Roman soldiers, it was St. Valentine who secretly helped them to wed.
As a result, couples (and secret admirers!) the world over celebrate their love on February 14th with the exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines."
After Christmas, Valentine's Day is the biggest card-sending holiday of the year - with an estimated one billion cards sent worldwide.
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