No love lost as bishop is berated for moving Valentine’s remains

Rome: It is supposed to be a day dedicated to love and a celebration of our affection for one another. But St Valentine triggered a bitter row in Italy when a bishop tried to remove his remains from the cathedral in which they have been kept since the 17th century.

The Rt Rev Giuseppe Piemontese planned to temporarily transfer the saint’s relics from the San Valentino Basilica in Terni, Umbria, to a cathedral three miles away, prompting an outpouring of anger from parishioners. Dozens of angry churchgoers descended on the basilica, positioning chairs around the glass coffin containing the remains, and holding hands to form a human barrier. The protesters’ shouts grew louder as Bishop Piemontese tried to explain himself. His desperate calls for silence went unheard.

Parishioners say their town has been abandoned in recent years, falling into a state of decay. One resident, heading to the church to protest, said they “had lost everything” and would not allow a much-loved piece of their history, as well as an important tourist attraction, to be taken from them. “We are staying here together with our patron saint,” another protester said. “No one is going to take him away. If they really want to do it, they’re going to have to get past us, because we’re not moving even one step backwards.”

The relics of St Valentine — one of three claimants to be the third-century saint whose feast day was originally celebrated on February 14 — were due to be moved for a special St Valentine’s Day celebration in honour of the Catholic Church’s Holy Year of Mercy. They would have been returned to the San Valentino Basilica in the town of his birth within days, and Bishop Piemontese was reported to have paid out of his own pocket for a specially modified car to transport the remains.

But after pressure from the local community, the relics remained in San Valentino Basilica yesterday. In his homily, the bishop accused parishioners of behaving in an “intolerant, arrogant and disrespectful manner” and implied there may have been other motives behind the protest, although he did not specify what these were. “On several occasions, I have had, during difficult conversations, the perception that the real reasons for this protest haven’t been made clear to this speaker or to the public,” he said. “Instead they [rumours] have been circulated in an underhand manner; people are hiding behind expressions such as ‘so and so says this’, spreading biased information to beat the enemy, without having any intention of engaging with the true facts.

“The controversy surrounding the temporary transfer of St Valentine’s remains to the cathedral, which was planned to make the celebration even more special for the devoted, is symptomatic of the intolerant, arrogant and disrespectful manner that has showed itself here.” He said the decision to temporarily move the remains had been taken “after many consultations and general consensus” within the church and the wider community.

— The Telegraph Group Ltd, London 2016