Joseph Sacco, registrar, Criminal Courts and Criminal Tribunals, Valletta
Court ruling on dressing up as nuns
I refer to the report on page 48 of Saturday's The Times entitled Dressing Up As Nun "Is Not Illegal". In the report it is stated or implied that the Court of Criminal Appeal said that "parading as a priest, however, is against the law".
The Court said nothing of the sort. If the court reporter had bothered to read the whole judgment he should have realised that what was in issue before the Court was not whether dressing up as a nun was or was not "illegal", but whether the accused was guilty of publicly vilifying the Roman Catholic Religion, or of vilifying those who profess such religion, or its ministers, or anything which forms the object of, or is consecrated to, or is necessarily destined for Roman Catholic worship (article 163 of the Criminal Code). All that the court decided was that the simple fact of dressing up as a nun, even if at carnival time, does not, on its own, amount to such vilification.
The Court, however, stressed the point that if such dressing up were accompanied with other circumstances of fact, words or gestures, which objectively amount to vilification, then there could be a violation of article 163. Nor did the Court say that "parading as a priest...is against the law". What the Court said was that the reference to "ministers" of religion in the said article did not include nuns; and, moreover, that a nun's habit, like the attire worn by priests and prelates (the abito talare and the abito piano), was not an object of, or consecrated to, or necessarily destined for Roman Catholic worship.
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roberto bordino
Oct 27th 2009, 06:54
this is rediculous.. you people need to get a life
Kevin Cassar
Oct 26th 2009, 19:28
@ Michael Bonanno...... Comments like yours really baffle me beyond comprehension.....accepting things without any proof whatsoever and believing whatever they tell you to believe even if they change their views (eg. the fact that the sun does not go around the earth and the existance of purgatory which existed up to a few years ago but does not exist anymore.....apparently god had a rethink!!!) You have no right to feel offended by anything which does not do you harm cos if you did we'd all be in prison because I am offended by your belief as much as you are with mine. I'll give an example to explain myself further. If you were to dress up like me I would have the right to feel offended because it's not my clothes that make me what I am just as the priests and nuns are not dependent on their robes to function. I would have the right to feel offended if you claimed I did something which I did not do, and then you's have to prove it.
Paul Cave
Oct 26th 2009, 17:13
@t.borg How on earth is dressing like a nun in any way comparable to dressing like a police officer or member of the armed forces? In fact, why is there any problem with these two types of dressing up as long as the dresser is not actually attempting to IMPERSONATE the usual wearer of the uniform? Could we perhaps get some prespective on religious fundamnetalism for once?
Michael Bonanno
Oct 26th 2009, 17:09
I agree that this should be illegal. Freedom of speech and liberty do not mean saying things that hurt or ridicule other people or institutions. We still live in a civilised country...at least hope so.
Saviour Pirotta
Oct 26th 2009, 16:43
@ Tony Gatt Not only where people in the UK not offended by punters dressing up as nuns in The Sing-along-a Sound of Music in London, there was also a competition for best dressed nun. Real nuns won the prize so many times there was an outcry and they were banned from entering the competition for a while. The Maltese do need to develop a sense of humour.
Kevin Cassar
Oct 26th 2009, 16:39
@ t.borg .... While you are perfectly entitled to an opinion like the rest of us, your statement shows that you do not understand why dressing as a policeman or a soldier is illegal. The reason should be obvious - it's because of the privelages that these officials enjoy, which includes the permission to carry firearms. Now what could anyone do with a nun's uniform....pray for someone? Hope this makes you change your views.
t. borg
Oct 26th 2009, 16:01
in my opinion to dress as a nun in public it should be illegal. this is the same as wearing a police or military uniform.
adrian aquilina
Oct 26th 2009, 12:33
malta's religious fundementalism and conservsatism is a joke..anyone can dress as they want at parties and act as they want dressed like a nun,minister,whatever..its a joke to arrest someone because they make a joke about religion or politicians..only in backward countries does religion play such a big role..its unbelievable we also have discussions on condoms,divorce etc...adults can choose what they like,believe in or not,what they say and how they live...if religion can tell people what to do and get affended if someone does not agree or states a differant view then i should be able to have some religious person arrested for saying things that go against my belief that there is no god..religion does not make you special...it does make you live in the past....life is about evolving,learning,change,not standing still...freedom of speech,lifestyles etc..are whats important..think for yourself not some outdated dogma
Alex Caffari
Oct 26th 2009, 09:56
Thank you Joseph Sacco for clearing that up. I was starting to believe that the courts failed to refer to the dictionary for the definition of 'vilify'. I know the Attorney General certainly failed to look it up though. What a joke.
Tony Gatt
Oct 26th 2009, 09:12
In the U.K. there is at least one touring theatre company which encourages women watching their production of "The Sound of Music" to dress up as nuns and sing along to the tunes.
There is no disrespect to the church meant and anyone bringing a court case against the women would be laughed out of court.