Reverend Father John Chinenye Oluoma, a Catholic priest in Abuja has responded to claims that Valentine should not be celebrated on Ash Wednesday via a recent post on his official Facebook page which he titled,
“The Ash and the Chocolate.”
Acknowledging the dual significance of February 14th as both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, Father Oluoma highlighted the symbolism of each. He noted that while some individuals would receive ashes as a mark of repentance and reflection, others would exchange tokens of affection such as chocolates with their loved ones.
In his post, Father Oluoma challenged the notion that Valentine’s Day should be disregarded or subdued on Ash Wednesday.
He emphasized that love, being intrinsic to both celebrations, should be honored and expressed regardless of the day. He argued that God’s love, symbolized by both the ashes and the chocolates, transcends any temporal distinctions.
He said
, “Some people with pious scrupples feel that valentine should not be celebrated today, and I wonder and ask why? If valentines is all about love, why should the celebration and expression of love be muted or totally cancelled for ash Wednesday? God is love, he doesn’t cease to be love on ash Wednesday or any other day. Any pure expression of love cannot be put aside any day for anything else, unless it ain’t love folks are out to celebrate.”
Father Oluoma then elaborated on the significance of the ash as a reminder of mortality and the chocolate as a symbol of life’s beauty and the affirmation of one’s worthiness of love. He encouraged individuals who find themselves receiving both to celebrate their blessings and express gratitude to God.
Moreover, Father Oluoma emphasized the importance of purity and sincerity of heart in both the Lenten observances and the exchange of tokens of affection. He cited the biblical verse, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8), underscoring the spiritual essence underlying these practices.