Tucked inside the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome is a relic that looks rather unusual for a church associated with one of the world's most romantic saints: a human skull decorated with roses. The skull is traditionally identified as that of St Valentine, the Christian martyr whose feast day falls on February 14. But there is an important catch. Nobody can prove that the skull really belonged to the Valentine remembered by the Church.
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| The skull of St Valentine, crowned with flowers, is on display in Rome's Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. (Photo: Lawrence OP/Flickr) |
In fact, the history of the relic is almost as mysterious as the history of the saint himself. On February 14, the skull is brought out and crowned with roses, giving an otherwise macabre object a surprisingly festive appearance. For a city filled with ancient ruins, famous artworks, and elaborate churches, it is one of Rome's more unusual stories.
Where Is St Valentine's Skull?
The alleged relic is kept inside Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a historic basilica near the ancient Circus Maximus and the Tiber. Most tourists know the church because of the Bocca della Verità, or Mouth of Truth, the famous marble face in the church's portico. The object became internationally famous after appearing in the 1953 film Roman Holiday. But the church has another, much stranger attraction.
Inside the Chapel of San Giovanni Battista de' Rossi, the altar holds the skull traditionally associated with St Valentine. According to the detailed history of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, it is brought out on February 14 and crowned with roses. The same source describes it as a doubtful or uncertain relic rather than a proven identification.
The Church Behind the Famous Mouth of Truth
Santa Maria in Cosmedin has a long and complicated history, and its connection with ancient Rome is much older than the present mediaeval appearance of the building. The church contains architectural elements and objects connected with earlier Roman structures, while its famous portico became home to the Mouth of Truth centuries later. That combination of ancient Roman surroundings and Christian relics is part of what makes the place so interesting. A visitor can come looking for the famous marble face and, almost as an afterthought, discover a relic associated with the patron saint of lovers.
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| The name 'San Valentino' is painted directly across the relic's forehead. (Photo: iKangaroo/Flickr) |
Who Was St Valentine?
This part is where the story becomes difficult. The Roman Martyrology records two Valentines on February 14: one described as a priest and martyr associated with Rome, and another described as a bishop and martyr associated with Terni. Vatican News explains that the traditions surrounding the two figures are remarkably similar, including their martyrdom and connection with Rome. The story of the Roman Valentine places his martyrdom on the Via Flaminia during the period of Emperor Claudius Gothicus, around the third century. According to the tradition reported by Vatican News, Valentine was arrested after refusing to abandon his Christian faith and was eventually beheaded.
There are also stories about miracles connected with him. One tradition tells of a blind girl whose sight was restored after Valentine prayed for her. These accounts belong to the traditional story of the saint rather than being independently established historical facts. The situation becomes even more complicated because the Catacomb of St Valentine exists along the ancient Via Flaminia in Rome. Rome's official tourism authority says the catacomb originated in the third century and that a basilica was later built near the place believed to contain the saint's tomb.
How Did Valentine Become the Saint of Lovers?
The connection between Valentine and romantic love developed gradually. The Vatican notes that the association with lovers is connected with later medieval tradition. Geoffrey Chaucer is an important figure in that story, particularly through his association of February 14 with the beginning of the birds' mating season. So the modern Valentine's Day of flowers, cards, and romantic messages is not simply a direct continuation of the life of the third-century martyr. Centuries of religious tradition and medieval literature have helped shape the Valentine's Day we recognise today.
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| The reliquary sits in a side altar on the left of the church nave. (Photo: Ahsan/Flickr) |
How Did the Skull End Up at Santa Maria in Cosmedin?
This aspect is probably the murkiest part of the story. The detailed history of Santa Maria in Cosmedin records that the skull was exhumed in 1836 from the catacombs of St Hippolytus near San Lorenzo fuori le Mura. It was subsequently associated with St Valentine. The same source, however, openly questions the identification, suggesting that even if it belonged to someone named Valentine, it might have belonged to another person with that name.
That is an important distinction. It would be easy to write that the skull was discovered and proven to be Valentine's remains. There is no reliable basis for making such a claim. Instead, the safest description is “the alleged skull of St Valentine.” That uncertainty is actually part of the relic's story.
Why Is the Skull Decorated With Roses?
Every year around February 14, the skull is brought out and crowned with roses. The image is strange at first: a human skull, decorated almost like a Valentine's Day ornament. Yet the roses make sense within the long tradition connecting St Valentine with lovers. The Vatican also records later traditions in which Valentine became associated with roses and romantic devotion. Whether those stories reflect the historical Valentine is another question. Like much of the saint's biography, they belong partly to the world of religious tradition and legend.
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| Tourists and pilgrims stop to view the relic, especially around February 14. (Photo: Eva/Flickr) |
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| A garland of flowers frames the skull inside its glass case. (Photo: John Hawe/Flickr) |
Is the Skull Really St Valentine's?
There is no reliable evidence that allows us to say the truth with certainty. The relic is traditionally identified as the skull of St Valentine, but the historical record does not establish its identity conclusively. The source documenting Santa Maria in Cosmedin specifically calls it an alleged and dubious relic.
There is also the problem of the different traditions surrounding the Roman Valentine and the Valentine of Terni. In other words, even before asking whether the skull belongs to St Valentine, there is a larger historical question about which Valentine the tradition refers to. That is why it is better to treat the skull as an interesting religious relic associated with St Valentine rather than as scientifically authenticated human remains of the saint.
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| The glass display case protecting the centuries-old relic. (Photo: meta_monkey/Flickr) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the skull of St Valentine?
The alleged skull is kept in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome, in the Chapel of San Giovanni Battista de' Rossi.
Is the skull definitely St Valentine's?
No. It is traditionally identified as his skull, but the identification is uncertain. The historical source for Santa Maria in Cosmedin describes it as an alleged and dubious relic.
When is the skull displayed?
The relic is brought out on February 14, the feast day associated with St Valentine, and is traditionally crowned with roses.
Was St Valentine a real person?
The Church preserves traditions about martyrs named Valentine, including a Roman priest and a bishop associated with Terni. However, the historical details surrounding their lives and identities are complicated.
Why is St Valentine associated with love?
The connection developed through later traditions, particularly medieval associations between February 14 and romantic love. Geoffrey Chaucer played an important role in the development of this association.
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| A closer look at the relic long associated with the patron saint of lovers. (Photo: pati1976/Flickr) |
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| Another angle of the reliquary and its lettered inscription. (Photo: iKangaroo/Flickr) |
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| The side chapel setting for the relic is within the basilica. (Photo: Arian Durst/Flickr) |
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| The medieval basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, home to the relic of St Valentine. |
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| The church's medieval bell tower, a landmark near the Mouth of Truth. (Photo: Holly Hayes/Flickr) |
Conclusion
The skull inside Santa Maria in Cosmedin is not a piece of history that comes with all the answers. It is a relic traditionally associated with St Valentine, but its identity cannot be proven with certainty. Its documented history begins much later than the life of the saint, with the skull being exhumed from the Catacombs of St. Hippolytus in 1836 before eventually becoming associated with the Valentine tradition at Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
And perhaps that uncertainty is what makes it so compelling. Valentine's Day is now mostly about flowers, chocolates, and romantic messages. Yet in this quiet corner of Rome, the story leads back to something much older — Christian martyrdom, ancient burial places, medieval traditions and a relic whose true identity remains an open question. A flower-crowned skull may be an unusual symbol of love, but in Rome, even the strangest objects often have a story worth uncovering.
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