S. Catharine, born of the noble Ricci family at Florence, from her infancy exhibited a precocious piety. Being placed in a convent when young, she prayed every day before a crucifix, shedding many tears, and meditating continually on the passion. She afterwards entered the Dominican convent of S. Vincent, in the town of Prato. She was asked to come home, but refused to revisit her parents till they had given her a promise that they would not oppose her vocation. At the age of thirteen she embraced the religious profession. The grace of God descended upon her in abundant measure, and she is said to have received from our Blessed Lord the ring of espousal, and the stigmata. Being at Prato, she is said also to have seen and conversed with S. Philip Neri, who was then in Rome. At length after a life of great self-denial and continual ecstasy, exhausted by grave sickness, and strengthened with the sacraments of the Church, she departed to her rest, in the year 1590, in the sixty-ninth year of her age, on Feb. 2nd. [41] See Jan. 26th. February 14. SS. VITALIS, FECHULA, ZENO, _MM. at Rome_. S. ELEUCODIUS, _B. of Ravenna_, A.D. 112. S. VALENTINE, _P. M. at Rome_, A.D. 269. S. VALENTINE, _B. M. at Teramo in Umbria; circ._ A.D. 273. SS. MODESTINE, _B._, FLORENTINE, _P._, AND FLAVIAN, _D., at Avellino in Italy_. S. MARO, _H. in Syria; circ._ A.D. 370. S. ABRAHAM, _B. at Carrhæ, in Mesopotamia; circ._ A.D. 390. S. AUXENTIUS, _Ab. in Bithynia; circ._ A.D. 470. S. ANTONINE, _Ab. at Sorrento; circ._ A.D. 830. SS. BRUNO, _B._, AND EIGHTEEN COMPANIONS, _in Prussia, MM._ A.D. 1008. S. VALENTINE, P. M. (A.D. 269.) [All Western Martyrologies. Acts contained in those of SS. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Habachuc.] This saint was a priest of the Roman Church, and was put in chains by Claudius II. for having assisted the martyrs during the Emperor's persecution of the Christians. Calpurnius, the prefect of the city, who had charge of him, intrusted him to the care of Asterius, his chief officer. S. Valentine used his opportunity, and preached the faith to his guard, and restored sight to his adopted daughter. Asterius was converted and baptized with his whole family, and confirmed by a bishop named Callistus. Claudius hearing this, condemned Valentine to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards beheaded. He suffered on the Flaminian Way, on February 14th, A.D. 269. The body of S. Valentine is preserved in the Church of S. Praxedis, in Rome; but the head in that of S. Sebastian. Much difficulty is caused by the great number of relics of saints called Valentine, commemorated on the same day, but of whose acts nothing is known. There is a S. Valentine, bishop and martyr, whose body is preserved at Baga, in the Asturias, and the head at Toro, on the Douro.