Castries, Saint Lucia — July 5, 2025
In the wake of a spate of recent homicides that have shaken the nation, Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire has issued a heartfelt plea to Saint Lucians, urging a return to core values and moral responsibility as the island grapples with escalating violence.
The appeal comes amid a particularly bloody stretch of days. Early Saturday morning, around 1 a.m., reports surfaced of a fatal shooting in Arundell Hill. That incident followed another deadly shooting on Thursday evening at Wilton’s Yard, where three people, including an unborn baby, were confirmed dead. Five other homicides had occurred in the three days leading up to the Wilton’s Yard tragedy, deepening public anxiety and grief.
“It is with deep sadness and concern that we reflect on the recent multiple homicides in our beloved country, Saint Lucia,” Archbishop Malzaire stated. “These acts of violence prompt us to examine the state of our society and our values as a Christian community.”
“We must vehemently condemn these brutal acts on human life with every fiber of our being,” he continued. “At the same time, we recognize the need for collective responsibility in addressing the decadence of civility in our society, which seems to be losing its moral compass.”
“As a Christian community, we pray for the repose of the souls of the victims and for the consolation of their families in their pain and loss,” the Archbishop said. “We also pray for an increase in the human attributes that prevent senseless acts of crime and violence, such as proper parental guidance, good family life, respect for one another, love for the common good, a basic fear of God, [and] the denunciation of every form of evil.”
In response to the growing sense of national crisis, Archbishop Malzaire has called on “all Christians and people of good will to join us in a day of fast and prayer for our nation on Friday, July 11, 2025.”
“Let us work together to cultivate a society worthy of its name ‘Lucis,’ meaning island of light,” he urged. “We owe it to our children to provide a place of tranquility and genuine peace. May God lend a helping hand in this time of need. AMEN!”
