Newark Advocate faith columnist Jeff Gill explores the history of Valentine's Day and how it connects to today's interpretation of the holiday.

As couples across the world prepared for Valentine's Day in February 2025, a rumor cropped up on social media that St. Valentine is not only the patron saint of lovers, but also of beekeepers ...

But while some see it as a commercialized "Hallmark holiday," the occasion actually has ancient roots in Roman history and connections to Saint Valentine. Valentine's Day is the perfect chance to ...

Candles are lit at the foot of a statue of St. Valentine inside the Shrine of St. Valentine in Dublin. (photo: Courtesy of Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Shrine of St. Valentine ...

A saint of the Roman calendar, St. Valentine was a popular man in the days of Emperor Claudius. He was a born matchmaker and became popular. However, a Sheboygan Press article reported that somehow ...

However, it is also believed that the Catholic Church chose to place St. Valentine’s feast in the middle of the short month to "Christianize" the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, a fertility ...

A prisoner named "Valentine" was said in one tale to have written a note signed "from your Valentine" to his jailer's daughter, according to the Feb. 13, 2024, article.

Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14, traces its origins to ancient Rome and the festival of Lupercalia. The holiday evolved over centuries and became associated with Saint Valentine ...