Adolescents Film Profanation Inside Saint-Hilaire Church
Nine adolescents reportedly filmed themselves inside the Church of Saint-Hilaire in Soullans, singing and dancing to a rap song containing references to glorifying a terrorist attack which took place in 2015. The video further showed disrespectful and disorderly behaviour around the altar of the church, as well as some minor damage including overturned objects and burn marks on benches. The incident has prompted judicial investigation for an alleged glorification of terrorism inside a Christian place of worship.
The incident took place on 4 October, inside Saint-Hilaire Church in Soullans, in the Vendée region of France. A video was recorded by one of the nine adolescents present, showing the perpetrators singing along to lyrics referencing Mohamed Merah, who was responsible for the 2012 terrorist attacks in Toulouse and Montauban, and Salah Abdeslam who was convicted in connection with the November 2015 attacks in Paris. The footage shows the young people dancing in a manner unbefitting a house of worship, moving around the altar in the sanctuary, and overturning objects.
The Diocese of Luçon expressed its sadness condemned the incident as a profanation and a serious infringement of the church as a place of worship. It also reported some material damage, including objects knocked over and burn marks on the benches.
The incident caused the church to temporarily close the church, suspending its services pending a prayers of reparation. A Mass of Reparation was scheduled for 12 October.
According to the reports, the incident has caused two investigations to open. The first, seeking an "apology for terrorism", and the second for "death threats" that were sent to the adolescents' families.
Sources: instagram, ouest-france, lereportersablais, egliseenvendee
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