13/02/2024
St . *Valentine's* Day *on* Ash *Wednesday* !
*By Fr Henry Opara*
In an informal gathering with a group of young people, one of them said, āFada, this yearās feast of St. Valentineās Day *get* as e biā. I just acted as if I did not hear or understand him very well. So I replied that I did not understand what he was talking about. He then said, āAsh Wednesday has every other day in the whole 365 days of 2024 to fall on but chose February 14th of all days. Fada, this is not good naa. It wouldnāt allow us to enjoy the Valentineās Dayā. That discussion led to this reflection. Is there a conflict between the celebration of Ash Wednesday and St. Valentineās Day? Are they mere distraction to each other? What does Ash Wednesday have to do with St. Valentineās Day? What this great Saint, St. Valentine stands for, has it any connection with the Ash Wednesday? Where lies the fear of the young man? Is it a matter of poor understanding of what Ash Wednesday stands for in relation to St Valentineās Day? Let us not forget that this alleged fear is not only experienced by the young man alone. A little digression into the social media space will leave you with such expressions like: āāthose of una wey dey tell me to take am easy, for this 2024, even Ash Wednesday no gree for Valentine (purple over red). āAsh Wednesday and Valentineās Day na the same day! Even Jesus no gree for satan this 2024ā etc.What did the young person have in mind when he was harbouring some fears about the coincidence of the date for the two events? At this point, I want to be using the loose expression, Loverās Day to replace St. Valentineās Day. For the young person and all in his category, what we celebrate that day is love, involving dining and wining and all sorts of merriment. Sometimes, it involves some of them using that day for indecent or ungodly behaviours, all in the name of love. Frankly speaking, Ash Wednesday begins a period of contemplation on the supreme and
