Sacrilegious Parade Takes Places in Anticipation of Corpus Christi Procession

Country: Spain

Date of incident: May 28, 2008


The Toledo City Hall council representative in charge of community events, Carmen Jiménez Martín, authorized a profane parade the day before of the traditional and highly celebrated Corpus Christi procession. The theater company Morboria used grotesque characters and dressed them in religious gowns; women dressed as prostitutes were marching next to other participants dressed as saints; and a puppet represented the Virgin Mary. Sacred symbols were part of the profane decoration.

Public funds were used to support the sacrilegious parade. Jiménez Martín said to the media that "we are not living under the Inquisition anymore"; "the show could not have been that bad because some people applauded at the end of the parade". Monsignor Antonio Cañizares asked for respect and real freedom of religion during the Corpus Christi homily on the day after: "We ask for forgiveness for the ones who so viciously attacked the body of Christ yesterday. Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing", were the final words of Cañizares.
Sources: http://www.diariocritico.com/navarra/2008/Mayo/cmancha/77410/festejos-toledo.html http://www.elperiodicoextremadura.com/noticias/espana/canizares-critica-pasividad-ante-los-ataques-a-iglesia_376055.html http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/religion/object.php?o=910933 http://www.hazteoir.org/np/mas-20-000-personas-protestan-pasacalles-blasfemo-toledo http://www.hispanidad.com/cese-de-la-concejal-de-festejos-de-toledo-20080529-22836.html http://comunidad.terra.es/forums/thread/7261319.aspx