Judge will investigate irreverent procession that a bishopric in Spain protested

A court has decided to investigate the so-called “Santa Baldana” procession, an irreverent performance that took place last June, which was protested by the Bishopric of Tortosa (Spain) and which was denounced by the Spanish Foundation of Christian Lawyers.

This action was framed in a performance titled The Great Bacchanalhired by the Ministry of Culture within the framework of the VII Culture and Ruralities Forum held in the town of Tortosa from June 4 to 6.

Given the events, the Bishopric of Tortosa carried out a statement in which he protested the spectacle, given that the “step” alluded to the Virgen de la Cinta, patron saint of the town.

After expressing his “deepest respect for the freedom of human and artistic expression,” as well as for every human person and “for every conviction of religious faith and every tradition that shapes the life, culture and history of people,” the bishopric demanded “the same respect and freedom for our people, our faith and our traditions that days before have been the object of ridicule and contempt.”

“A certain creation that is called artistic cannot prevent us from seeing that there is a type of mockery that disguises itself as art when it only seeks to destroy the values, symbols and traditions of the community,” he added.

In the order initiating preliminary proceedings from the Court of Investigation number 2 of Tortosa, it is specified that the reported facts “present characteristics that suggest the possible existence of a criminal offense.”

Thus, it asks the regional police force in Catalonia, the Mozos de Escuadra, to investigate the identity of those responsible for the action that consisted of processioning a virgin whose step and canopy were made up of blood sausage (sausage made of pig’s blood and rice or onion). Furthermore, instead of wooden elements to carry the step, pig’s feet were placed.

During the procession, in addition to using traditional music from Holy Week in Spain, a blasphemous prayer was performed titled “Plegaria a la Santa Baldana.

The president of Christian Lawyers, Poland Castellanos, denounces in a statement that “the Government wants to eliminate the crime against religious feelings so that all these attacks against Catholics go unpunished.”

In his opinion, “it is intolerable that this show that mocks Christians and their beliefs is endorsed by the Ministry of Culture. It is something intolerable. To put on a show it is not necessary to make fun of any group.”