Blasphemy charges filed over gay Jesus play in Greece
Actors and the producer of a Greek play that depicted Jesus Christ and his apostles as gay have been charged with blasphemy, court officials said.
A production of "Corpus Christi" in Athens was cancelled this month after weeks of almost daily protests outside the theatre by priests and right-wing groups, including deputies from the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn party.
Charges of "insulting religion" and "malicious blasphemy" have been filed after Bishop Seraphim of Piraeus lodged a lawsuit against those involved in the play, the officials said.
The play's director told Reuters he was stunned that prosecutors had chosen to go after him rather than pursue tax evaders and others blamed for driving Greece to near-bankruptcy.
"What I see is that there are people who have robbed the country blind who are not in jail and the prosecutor turns against art," Albanian-born Laertis Vasiliou said.
If found guilty, Vasiliou and the other defendants could face several months in prison. A trial date has not yet been set.
Dozens of demonstrators, including some from Golden Dawn, blocked the entrance of the theatre and clashed with police on the night of its premiere last month.
Bearded black-robed priests holding crosses were shown on television tearing up posters promoting the play. The Orthodox Church is an integral part of Greek society and a powerful institution.
Golden Dawn, which entered parliament this year for the first time in its history, has been increasingly flexing its muscle and polls show its hard line against immigrants and corrupt politicians is boosting its popularity.
Last month, Greek state television came under fire from the main opposition party and critics for editing a gay kiss out of the primetime premiere of British period drama "Downton Abbey".
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Richard Mamo
Jan 15th, 16:15
People are so touchy about the Jesus person in the bible. Iam not a believer but all the "believers" will throw you under the bus. How "Christian" is that??? Just be human and stop the bible thumping. WWJD????
Dorris geddes
Jan 15th, 14:31
Now if they were insulting the Muslim faith ...they would end up dead!!
Really some people are really foolish in the decisions they make!
Kenneth Cassar
Dec 28th 2012, 14:35
Freedom of religion by definition implies the freedom to believe (and express the belief) what others might deem blasphemous. Blasphemy laws deny freedom of religion.
stephen koludrovic
Dec 24th 2012, 14:25
Interesting to know that the producer was an Albanian. Wonder if he was a Christian or a Muslim Albanian?
Alfred Falzon
Nov 17th 2012, 14:23
Gutter literature for some is a source of inspiration!
Alfred A. Falzon
Eugene Sapiano
Nov 17th 2012, 10:21
In the seventies when I was a secondary school student, there were many who complained about organising the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, which did nothing to ridicule Christ. I wonder what would have happened if they organised the play Calendar Girls which obviously was not obscene but wonderful!
C Sant
Nov 17th 2012, 07:42
Finally the much awaited counter-revolution might just be starting. Let us bring some real values back into society, a society that knows its rules and success from ver well defined rules, regulations and respect. At the moment we have a society where everything goes just in the name of liberty but is actually just libertinism that shall be the ruin of the world!
Victor Pulis
Nov 16th 2012, 17:43
Looks like everything that shocks or insults is termed art these days. Everyone has become an artist. just toss a few potatoes on a sack on the floor and call it an installation!
Ms charmaine cremona
Nov 17th 2012, 00:22
oh how very well said mr pulis! I can't stand it.... These ppl think us idiots
Jessica Debattista
Nov 16th 2012, 16:43
@Franco Attard Trevisan:
Art has over the years taken a nosedive from the sublime to the ridiculous/ degenerate. It has become a wall of defence against anything that is corrupt, indecent, or downright pornographic.
This is the fruit we expect to harvest in these decadent times.
Will we ever rise above it?
Franco Attard Trevisan
Nov 16th 2012, 17:22
guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Who am I or you to judge what others produce or are willing to watch.....
Any production is intended to be watched by who is interested or disregarded by who is not... But everyone is free to CHOOSE
gil falzon
Nov 16th 2012, 18:20
Franco, are you suggesting that one cannot have an opinion on what one deems art and what one deems devoid of artistic value. Non-judgementalism is not conducive to an open-minded and truly free society where criticism has an intrinsic value.
Anthony Scicluna
Nov 16th 2012, 15:02
So what! What if Christ was gay? Does homosexuality detract from the validity of his teachings? We are happy to follow the careers of gay entertainers but God forbid if the word gay is used in close association to morality or religion. Rather obtuse.
Luciano Chetcuti
Nov 16th 2012, 14:46
Tghid Laertis Vasilious ried jipprova jdahhak, jew forsi xi gay? Ghax ma ppruvax jaghmel l-istess fuq Mohammad u l-Islam? Kieku ibqa' cert li ma jehlishiex u sewwa jaghmlulu. Fiz-zmien tal-lum hadd ma ghandu d-dritt ikasbar it-twemmin ta' haddiehor. Nittama li dan id-direttur ma jehlishiex hafif u jhallas prezz kif jixraq.
Andrej Psaila
Nov 16th 2012, 15:19
demokrazija = Meta id drittijiet tal minoranzi jigu osservati mill maggoranza, mhux meta il minoranza trid tadatta ghal voler tal maggoranza...
Franco Attard Trevisan
Nov 16th 2012, 14:46
get over it it's only art!
Joseph John Camilleri
Nov 16th 2012, 15:11
If It's art it doesn't mean you can insult any type of religion. for arts sake. That means hurting religious sentiments. Or do you count yourself as being progressive?
Karl Consiglio
Nov 16th 2012, 16:48
Well said Franco.
Franco Attard Trevisan
Nov 16th 2012, 17:19
@ J J Camilleri
You can call me whatever makes you happy (even a pig) .... However nobody forces anyone to watch something that offends them... I am pretty sure the production was intended for mature open-minded spectators. It was meant to be staged in a theatre so basically only who chose to view it went there with the intention to do so.
Dorris geddes
Dec 4th 2012, 14:37
well guess what would have happened if they insulted the Muslim religion! Just recently people died for insulting Islam!
Jessica Debattista
Nov 16th 2012, 13:05
Gays are out of the closet and even blatantly showcasing themselves. Good luck to them!
But why are they now risking going down into the gutter by their blasphemous attack on the sensibilities of Christians? Portraying Jesus and his apostles as gay shows lack of foresight.
Freedom of expression expressed in this manner can only work against them.
James Doyle
Dec 22nd 2012, 04:11
As a resident of the .UK who has visited your Island 6 times keep your principles and your religion as the forefront of your lives .Over here as am sure most of you have read about the homosexual marriage debate .This is bringing us further down into nothingness ,our T.V and media are full of Gays .Putting out there own homosexual propaganda whilst always decrying Christian Churches. Hail .Hail.
Ronnie Callus
Nov 16th 2012, 12:53
Ghidlu lil Laertis Vasilious (Direttur) biex ma' jhallatx il-hass mall-grass. Din arti jsejhila dan id-Direttur. Dawn qed jippruvaw jidhru li huma t-tajbin bil-promozzjoni kollha li qed jippruvaw jghamlu, anke fl-EU jghollu lehenhom qedien.Wiehed jista jara fil-kwistjoni ta' Tonio Borg.
Mr mike Knight
Nov 16th 2012, 12:53
Greece the country that HAS GONE to the dogs, and there is always an idiot/ moron that wants to change the rules to get their names in the papers, as for Blasphemy, i think as a foreigner living on the island, the authorites would do well to check out the many hundreds of locals that actulaly do Blasphem, i don't speak the language but i can tell a swear word from the extreme Blasphem low class
Asta Peterson
Nov 16th 2012, 14:31
I agree a local friend told me that most invent Blasphem about the virgin Mary mostly, i don't like it as its certainly different then swear words which are mostly found in the dictionary, Blasphem is way out of order and this shows the mentality of uneducated low cass people that need to go back to basics and learn how to act in public. Malta & mostly Gozo are in the top 10 hypocracy at its best.
Desmond Mangion
Nov 16th 2012, 22:18
Always the same people here insulting us Maltese, what are you doing here if you don't like anything that is Maltese anyway? you must be really sad people, an article that has nothing to do with Malta yet you tried to find a way to insult us, makes one wonder why you are here
J Schembri
Nov 17th 2012, 10:57
@ both
I do not think you should put everyone in one basket.
I am 100% Maltese and I do not swear.
Thus if you feel offended with the minority who use swear words, then just leave the island and go to stay at the Vatican. Maybe that is the only country where one does not swear - I think!
Please choose the reason of your report below: