www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Statue Removed To Appease Moslems

Here's the story http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3680331.stm

What's next, eliminating "cast into hell Satan" for being hateful.

Interesting... BBC World Service (radio) report yesterday was stating the decision was made four months ago...

Oύτις ημιν φιλει ου φροντίδα | Nemo nos diliget non curamus

I think it is wonderful! We are Christians, we shouldn't be glorifying the killing of anyone! And it isn't as if they are destroying the statue, they are only moving it into a museum with other statues of St. James. Moe

Once again the Church sells out those who fought and died to protect it from bloodthirsty pagan invaders.

But, I suppose, it would just have been removed in 50 years when the Moslems run Europe, anyway.

To depict an Apostle of Christ "slicing the heads off" fellow human beings is offensive to me as a Christian!

Yeah, what gives with people trying to be sensitive toward others? I mean, the statue just shows an apostle slicing off a few Saracen heads... big deal. It's not like the apostles DIDN'T go out and kill people.

Oh, yeah, I also came across this icon...

[Linked Image]

...showing a pope, whose triple tiara has fallen to the ground, cringing at the feet of Saint Mark of Ephesus. Perhaps every Orthodox church should be outfitted with one of these? Would any Catholics mind?

They should make a little emoicon of "tongue in cheek."

Dave

I am surprised at that icon of St. Mark of Ephesus, not because it humiliates the Pope, but because the Cross is shown (on the Pope's vestments) in a posture of humiliation.

Or maybe that Cross doesn't count because it's not a 3-bar Cross.

Those depicted having their heads cut off are infidel invaders, who are adherents to the world's most aggressive and intolerant religion, seeking to devestate and enslave a Christian Kingdom. I think the statue was entirely appropriate, perhaps more so now than ever.

In that case, maybe Jesus should have blasted those who tried to crucify him and should go around today striking people down with lightning bolts? Funny, I thought Jesus said turn the other cheek, to forgive those who persecute us and be meek and mild LIKE HIM! Moe

Dear Friends:

Some years ago the Italian community of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto gave a new carved wood statue of St. Michael to the Cathedral dedicated to the saint.

It was solemnly dedicated and placed in a prominent place at the front, in a niche to the left side.

When I first saw it the thing that came immediately into my mind was "wow a white God trampling on a dark person".

The figure was very Arian looking, with long blond hair (somewhat effeminate), wearing silver armour, and standing on top of a bearded (very normal looking) man.

Toronto is a very multicultural city with Catholics from every cultural group you could think of.

Therefore, after some time the rector started getting complaints about the statue.

But what to do?

It was given by the Italian community, and they saw nothing wrong with the statue.

In the end they moved it to a less prominent place and replaced it with an unpainted, carved yellow wood, statue which was already in the Cathedral.

I know about those images of "Sant Iago Mata Moros" (Saint James Moor-Killer) and they leave very little room for debate.

Hardly a Christian thing, even if it is traditional or historic.

I love Saint James of Compostella and it is my fond hope of one day being able to do the Camino (Pilgrimage to the shrine), but the Moor-Killer does not come into it the equation at all.

We must all practice charity in these matters.

May the Great Saint James the Apostle, intercede to God for all our needs.

defreitas

Chtec - Not sure it's any worse than St. Mark of Ephesus being St. Mark of Ephesus. ;o)

All - Catholic Spain spent 700 years reclaiming their country from the Moors. What is wrong with a statue that symbolizes that struggle?

Moe

Please show me in the Tradition of the Eastern Rite, Latin Rite, Orthodox Church, where defending one's country against enemy invasion is contrary to the Gospel of Christ.

DeFreitas

Are you actually saying that some dark skinned people felt that the statue of Satan (I assume that's who was being overcome by St Michael the Archangel) resembled them too much ! Well, truth is stranger than fiction, but I can honestly say that I've never seen a statue in church, where Satan even looked human, let alone like a particular race.

Lawrence,

How about the tradition of the countless martyrs who went to their own deaths for Christ instead of fighting back? How about Christ's own words to Peter, "Put your sword down..."?

I am definitely not one for political correctness. I am, however, glad this statue was removed from a church because it does not belong in such a place. On a pedestal in the town square? Sure, I'll bite. In a museum? Perfect! But where Christ, the same Christ who told Peter to put his sword down, is made present? No, don't think so.

Mikey

Surely if Christ's admonition to Peter in the Garden of Gethesemane was applicable for any and all situations, the East would not recognize St Constantine and St Alexander Nevsky, and the West, St Louis IX and St Joan of Arc.

Should we also take down all crosses surmounting a cresent from the tops of Eastern churches? While they aren't as graphic, they celebrate the same thing, essentially "The buck stops here".