The Spanish Foundation of Christian Lawyers has denounced the mayor of Soria, Carlos Mínguez, for mocking the Pope during some popular festivals in which he was spraying with a toilet brush from a pseudo-popemobile.
As stated in the complaint, “last Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the mayor of Soria, Carlos Martínez Mínguez, held a ‘procession’ aboard a simulated ‘popemobile’ and imparting blessings with a toilet brush – as of hyssop – who dipped a bucket in the water as if it were holy water. This ‘procession’ took place during the patron saint festivities in honor of the Virgin of Rosario and San Esteban Protomártir in the Soria municipality of Tardelcuende.”
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The events are known because there were many who witnessed the events and published videos on social networks.
To simulate a popemobile, they placed an armchair on a white car, decorated with white fabrics and a Vatican flag. In addition, 7 men surrounded the vehicle that circulated through the streets of the municipality as if they were members of the Swiss Guard escorting the Pontiff.
The complaint details that, in addition, three people dressed as altar boys and six more “posing as bishops and cardinals” stood behind the car.
The crime of scorn is typified in the Spanish Penal Code, which states that “those who, in order to offend the feelings of the members of a religious confession, do publicly, orally, in writing, will incur a fine of eight to twelve months. or through any type of document, mock their dogmas, beliefs, rites or ceremonies, or humiliate, also publicly, those who profess or practice them.”
In the opinion of Christian Lawyers, “the carrying out of a procession by the mayor in a popemobile pretending to be the Pope, using a toilet brush as a swab with a bucket of water as if it were holy water, followed by the procession of men disguised as bishops, cardinals and Swiss guards leaves no room for doubt: the act of ridicule or mockery is clear and contumacious,” as stated in the complaint.
“The mayor’s conduct, in using a toilet brush to impart blessings and simulate a religious ceremony, denotes clear contempt and mockery of the rites and symbols of Catholicism. “This act cannot be interpreted as mere satire or criticism, but rather as an intentional and derogatory attack on the religious feelings of members of the Catholic confession,” he adds.
For the legal entity, furthermore, “the fact that these acts have been carried out in the context of a patron saint’s holiday in honor of relevant religious figures such as the Virgin of the Rosary and Saint Stephen the Protomartyr aggravates the offense, since they have been carried out in “a time and place of special religious significance for the community.”
ACI Prensa has asked the Diocese of Osma-Soria, whose bishop is Mons. Abilio Martínez, for an assessment of the facts, which has declined: “The Diocese is not going to make any statement in this regard,” episcopal sources have indicated.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.