Sri Lanka, Feb. 14 -- Every year on February 14, Valentine's Day is marked across the world with flowers, greeting cards and special dinners. In Sri Lanka too, restaurants announce themed menus, retailers promote gift offers and social media fills with messages of affection. But while the modern celebration often centres on romance and consumer spending, the origins of Valentine's Day trace back nearly 1,700 years to early Christian history.

Who Was Saint Valentine?

The historical record on Saint Valentine is limited. Early Christian sources refer to at least one martyr named Valentine who was executed in Rome during the third century, during a period when Christians faced persecution under the Roman Empire. Some scholars suggest there...