Hardly had the sun risen on the first day of February when rivulets of red began flowing through the streets of Castries. And while some may have attributed this to the farce in parliament a few days prior, one passing glance at any of the city’s clothing stores would’ve proven there was nothing political about the demonstrated colour preference.
Instead of a piece about the feast of St. Valentine (or “Valentimes,” as it is so frequently referred to here), it may be more useful to shed some light on the man responsible for it, and how it went from being a solemn celebration of the life of a martyr to the pagan worship of “romantic love”. Also intriguing, is just how widely celebrated is Valentine’s Day in Saint Lucia, a “Christian” country that allegedly places its African aspect above all other considerations.
According to the Roman Martyrology, Valentine was a Catholic priest who lived and was martyred in the 3rd century AD. He was known as a healer, and miracles have even been ascribed to his holy relics after his death. “At Rome, on the Flaminian road, in the time of the Emperor Claudius, the birthday of blessed Valentine, priest and martyr, who after having cured and instructed many persons, was beaten with clubs and beheaded.”
The Martyrology of St. Valentine continues: “At Teramo, St. Valentine, bishop and martyr, who was scourged, committed to prison, and as he remained unshaken in his faith, was taken out of his dungeon in the dead of night and beheaded by order of Placidus, prefect of the city.” St. Valentine was so beloved that those devoted to him also suffered martyrdom because they chose to watch over his body after he was killed. “In the same place, the holy martyrs Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, who, whilst watching by the body of St. Valentine, were arrested and put to the sword by the command of the ex-consul Leontius.” St. Valentine’s Martyrology concludes thus: “His body is daily glorified by many miracles, and particularly by the deliverance of possessed persons.”
Even though not much detail is given about his life, it is clear he died for the Roman Catholic faith. Which raises the question: Why is the name of Valentine now so synonymous with a feast of romantic love and why is a self-proclaimed Christian society like Saint Lucia such a willing participant?–
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