The Catholic community in Mytilene celebrates Saint Valentine this weekend, continuing a 120-year tradition.
On Saturday, 14 February, the community will hold a solemn archieratic mass at the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, where Saint Valentine’s relics are housed. Archbishop Joseph, Apostolic Administrator of Chios and Lesvos, will lead the service. The Animato choir, directed by Dimitris Chatzigiannakis, will perform during the ceremonies.
The festivities continue on Sunday, 15 February, with a musical evening titled “Classical and Folk Songs in Honor of Mary and Valentine” at the same church. The concert will feature sacred and secular music from the Baroque period to the 20th century, highlighting themes of the Virgin Mary and love. Performers include Fotini Georgiou, Christina Katsamatsa, Chrysa Eleni Siameti, Jennifer Sherrill, Tatiana Nikolopoulou, Sofia Talianni, and the women’s vocal ensemble Gitamo.
Saint Valentine’s relics have a long history. They were originally kept in the catacombs of Saint Priscilla in Rome after his execution in 268 AD. In 1815, the relics were transferred and partially gifted to Father Giovanni-Baptista Longarini di S. Costanzo, chaplain and cantor at the Ispali Cathedral in Seville, Spain. By 1907, the relics reached Mytilene, where the Catholic Archbishop of Smyrna, Dominikos Maregos, authenticated them during a pastoral visit.
Over the years, the relics moved between Athens and Rome before returning to Mytilene in 2014, coinciding with the revival of the island’s Catholic community. Local records confirm that Lucia Theofanopoulou Bongigli, a previous custodian, donated the relics to the Church of the Dormition, where the saint is now honoured with annual celebrations.
The events in Mytilene this weekend reaffirm both the spiritual and cultural significance of Saint Valentine, drawing the faithful and music enthusiasts alike to commemorate the saint whose relics have journeyed across Europe for over two centuries.
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