There once lived an emperor named Claudius II. He noticed that men who were married didn't want to go to war and leave their families, so he banned marriage. A priest named Valentine felt pity for the people and secretly married couples. When Claudius II found out, he was enraged and had Valentine thrown into jail. While awaiting execution, Valentine met the jailer's daughter, who was blind. The priest prayed for her, and she got her sight back. Before he died, Valentine sent her a card and signed it, "From your Valentine." According to legend, this is the origin of St. Valentine's Day and the practice of sending a card to someone you love.

2

Legends rarely have much basis in historical facts, and St. Valentine's Day is no exception. The Catholic Church dropped St. Valentine's Day from its calendar in 1969 because no evidence of St. Valentine's life and work existed. In spite of its murky origins, Valentine's Day remains a widespread celebration of love throughout the Western world.

3

The English writer Geoffrey Chaucer may have been the first to link Valentine's Day with love. In 1382, he published a poem called The Parliament of Fowls. The poem describes St. Valentine's Day as the day when birds gather in the Garden of Love to find a mate. Chaucer's poem seems to be the first written link between romance and Valentine's Day.

4

Chaucer, a popular writer in his time, may be the real inventor of the modern Valentine's Day. After the publication of his poem, references to Valentine's Day as a romantic holiday abound. The earliest valentine card is from 1415. Shakespeare mentions the day in his plays. It was a common practice in the nineteenth century to send lavish cards on February 14th to someone you admired. And in the twenty-first century, cards, chocolates, and other tokens are given to friends and lovers throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Which is the author's purpose for writing the passage?

A.
to tell the history behind Valentine's Day

B.
to compare modern and historical Valentine's Day celebrations

C.
to describe the life of the founder of Valentine's Day

D.
to explain why Valentine's Day is celebrated