St. Valentine's Day has roots in several different legends. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid, the Roman god of Love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with a bow and arrow. Three hundred years after the death of Jesus Christ, the Roman emperors still demanded that everyone believe in the Roman gods. Valentine, a Christian priest, had been thrown in prison for his teachings. On February 14,Valentin8 was beheaded. The night before he was executed, he wrote the jailer's daughter a farewell letter signing it, "From Your Valentine". Another legend tells us that this same Valentine, wen-loved by all, wrote notes from his jail cell to children and friends who missed him. February 14 was also a Roman holiday, held in honour of a goddess. Young men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities.