Viña del Mar Festival: Chile competes with a song that offends the Catholic faith

A few weeks after a new edition of the International Festival of the Song of Viña del Mar, the Bishop of Valparaíso, Mons. Jorge Vega Velasco, showed concern about the song that will represent Chile and advocated “for a festival of respect and unity ”

From February 23 to 28, one of the most important musical events in South America will take place in the city of Viña del Mar (Chile): the International Song Festival, where every year artists from different countries present their songs and compete to win the Jury and take the silver seagull, the top award.

On this occasion, the song that will represent Chile is titled “Infernodaga”, played by singer Dani Ride, whose lyrics and video clip aroused concern in the Catholic community.

In one Published column In the newspaper El Mercurio de Valparaíso, the local bishop, Mons. Jorge Vega Velasco, reflected on respect and unity within the framework of the event that in its more than 60 years of experience “has earned a place in the heart of the Chileans and much of Latin America ”.

When referring to the song with which Chile will compete, the prelate regretted that “in its lyrics and aesthetics, it offends the religious sense of the believing people who loves and respects the sacred sentences and symbols.”

The lyrics of the song contain phrases like “Heaven knows infernal”, and a parody of our father who expresses: “Mother of ours that you are with your fertile body we come/be your kingdom in us (sic).”

The video clip, on the other hand, set in what simulates being a church, characters characterized as priests appear, you can see crosses, bibles that burn, and homosexual scenes. The singer has a crown of thorns and what seem to be “stigmas” in his hands.

“Just talk with different people to realize the density of their faith and the deep sense that it has for their daily lives,” said the Bishop of Valparaíso.

In this regard, he stated: “Are not numerous people who entrust themselves to God at the beginning of the day or at the end of it? How many grandmothers and mothers, for example, bless and pray for their children and grandchildren to return healthy and saved to their homes after work or study? In our homes there are crucifixes, Bibles, images of the Virgin and the saints that re-give us with divinity and make us aware of their eternal and faithful love. ”

“What is the point of generating division between us when we have pending and urgent issues to solve? What is the use of this controversy to Viña del Mar, a beautiful city, but with a deep housing crisis? Are not some of the largest camps in the country among us? ”He questioned.

“In our region, pain is still breathed by the dead left by the voracious fire of the last year. The victims are still waiting for definitive solutions that take too long to arrive, ”denounced the bishop.

In that sense, he considered that two of the keys to advance in “the reconstruction of the soul of Chile” are unity and collaboration.

“I can understand that there are different positions regarding the role of the Church in society. But you cannot be unfair to Christians who work in favor of the poor and suffering of our time, ”said Mons. Vega Velasco.

“The social works that believers of different religious denominations carry out are eloquent,” he said.

Finally, he invited the author of the song “to learn more about our faith and to talk and exchange ideas if desired, because I am convinced that dialogue, reconciliation and mutual respect will make our country a better space for everyone, even for those that have been discriminated against by their religion or sexual orientation. ”