One Valentine was a priest and physician who, legend says, sent letters of love and encouragement to the early Christian community in Rome during this time of persecution. Another Valentine may have been a bishop.
Today, at least 10 churches world-wide claim to house the relics of St. Valentine. One church is the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Chapel in Dublin. Ireland.
In 1835, an Irish Caremlite priest named Fr. John Spratt was invited to preach at Gesu Jesuit Church in Rome. his preaching was so inspiring that he received many tokens of appreciation. In the 19th century, it was a fairly common practice to allow local churches from around the world to bring home relics from the catacombs of Rome. Pope Gregory XVI offered Fr. Spratt the remains of St. Valentine ... and the Irish priest accepted.
Back in ireland, he placed the saint's reliquary on display at the Whitefriar Street Chapel where he lived. After Fr. Spratt's death in 1871, interest in St. Valentine's remains waned, and they were put in storage. In 1950, they were rediscovered during a church renovation, and a statue and shrine was built to honor St. Valentine.
On Valentine's Day, couples come to Whitefriar Street Chapel for the annual blessing of their rings.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw