The holiday's roots stretch back centuries, long before commercial greeting cards existed.

The New Testament of the Bible mentions saints around 100 times, depending on the version you’re reading. However, the term typically refers to Christians or the church, rather than a specific saint, according to the online Christian resource Got Questions Ministries. Although this might be why the namesake of St. Valentine’s Day is not mentioned in the Bible, the religious ties to the February holiday are even more complicated.

Sammy Davis, Jr. was a true giant of entertainment. For nearly half a century, he was a Las Vegas fixture.

Although St. Valentine lends his name to Valentine’s Day, he did not become known as the patron saint of lovers until hundreds of years after his death. The third-century priest lived during a time when Christians were persecuted for their religious beliefs. Records and historic liturgical calendars indicate he was martyred, though what exactly led to his murder is a bit murky.

Much like the origins of Valentine’s Day, the real identity of St. Valentine remains a bit of a mystery. The holiday’s namesake, a martyred priest, actually could have been one of multiple men. Although many think of him as the patron saint of lovers, this reputation likely began centuries after his death.

On a fall night in 1982, mob figure Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal was almost blown up outside a Tony Roma’s in Las Vegas – a harrowing attack portrayed in the opening scene of “Casino.”

More than 40 years after the infamous car bombing, the Tony Roma’s building is home to a sex-toy shop, and a neighboring former Marie Callender’s is boarded-up. Now the plaza itself where Rosenthal was nearly killed in a suspected mob hit has been sold.