Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. This holiday of candy hearts and love letters carries quite the reputation for romance. 

On average, the total amount of money spent on the 14th in America adds up to twenty billion dollars. A quarter of all Americans go Valentine’s day shopping. Five billion dollars is spent on jewelry for the day. 85% of Valentine’s Day cards are bought by women. How could a holiday on a random day in February create so much buzz all over the country? It’s simple; like many holiday’s, the origin starts with a saint.

There are several theories about how Valentine’s Day came to be, all originating from martyred saints. One Saint Valentine, a priest, is celebrated for performing matrimonies against authorities wishes. He converted a girl by healing her, ultimately leading to his martyrdom. Before his death, he sent a note off to the girl signing off, “Your Valentine.”

Although this story is contested by historians, at the very heart of it is a Catholic story that we can all learn from. In the midst of all of the material that takes over the holiday, it’s important to remember why our romantic and even platonic connections matter so much more than a bit of candy or even a dozen roses can convey.