SVG honours Spiritual Baptists with May 21 Public Holiday

May 21, 2025 has been declared an annual public holiday for members of the Spiritual Baptist religion in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The declaration comes after Parliament passed the Public Holiday Amendment Bill on Thursday, August 27, 2024, clearing the way for May 21 next year to be declared National Spiritual Baptist Day.

The Bill was table by Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, and fully supported by members on both sides of the House of Parliament.

Leading off the debate Prime Minister Gonsalves highlighted the contribution of former legislators Rene Baptiste, Parnel Campbell, and Girlyn Miguel to the Spiritual Baptist movement in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

He said the change will see the Spiritual Baptists having a national holiday which is “stuffed with significance.”

On March 28, 2002, Parliament passed legislation allowing the Spiritual Baptist to have a day of recognition and freedom to worship.

That day was the same May 21, but it was not yet declared as a public holiday. Gonsalves recalled that in 1912, the Colonial powers passed an ordinance which was called the Shakerism Prohibition Ordinance, that prohibited the Spiritual Baptists from expressing their freedom to practice their religion. He said the Colonial authorities were not concerned that worship was being done by the Spiritual Baptists, and that it was a religion.

“They saw it as something else.”

That Ordinance was repealed in 1965, led by then Chief Minister Ebenezer Theodore Joshua. The Shakerism Repeal Ordinance also took effect in 1965.

“The Spiritual Baptist Community has long held that May 21 is the day they recognize as their day of liberation,” Gonsalves said.

He added that May 21, 1965, was the last day that Spiritual Baptists were prosecuted under the 1912 law.

Based on figures in the 2012 census, Spiritual Baptists account for 9 per cent of the population, and the Prime Minister said

that number will be much larger now, as the faith is growing.

He also acknowledged the contribution of George Augustus Mc Intosh and the late Prime Minister, Robert Milton Cato in championing the Spiritual Baptists right to freedom of worship.

“ We are doing the right thing here today,” Gonsalves said in Parliament where many members of the Spiritual Baptist religion were paying rapt attention in the Strangers Gallery.

He also pointed out that St Vincent and the Grenadines is the original home of the Spiritual Baptist, over time, some persons moved to Trinidad and Tobago, as well as to Grenada.

Gonsalves said the Spiritual Baptists suffered many years of being stigmatized and outcast, and now, “no one should begrudge them” of their national holiday.

Opposition Senator, Israel Bruce started off debate on the Bill for that side of the House at Tuesday’s sitting. Noting the Opposition’s support for the Bill, Senator Bruce said “ all of us on this side of this Honourable House lend 100 per cent support to this particular Bill”.

Declaring that he is grounded firmly in the Spiritual Baptist movement, Bruce acknowledged that members of the Spiritual Baptist faith “didn’t

have the most pleasant journey”.

He noted that their religion came from “the belly of Africa,” and was transported to St Vincent and the Grenadines by those who were brought here as slaves.”

The Opposition Senator recalled the days when Spiritual Baptists were not allowed to practice their religion openly and they had to hide to worship.

In her contribution to the debate Opposition Senator, Shevern John expressed how much she enjoys the worship of the Spiritual Baptists. She also commended the Spiritual Baptists for the modest way in which they dress, particularly to attend church.

Minister of Housing, Orando Brewester pointed to the importance of our people in knowing from whence we came.

He recalled that the Spiritual Baptist Movement in St Vincent and the Grenadines “emerged as a response to the colonial and social injustices faced by enslaved Africans and their descendants.”

The Bill received full support of members of the House of Parliament, and was the only agenda item dealt with on Tuesday.

The sitting of the House of Assembly resumes at 9 a.m on Tuesday September 3,2024.