Berlusconi accused of ’sacrilege’ in communion row
April 22nd, 2010 - 2:12 pm ICT by ANILondon, Apr 22 (ANI): The Catholic church has accused Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of committing “sacrilege” by taking communion despite having divorced his first wife and being on the verge of second divorce.
The Roman Catholic Church prohibits divorcees who remarry from taking communion.
However, Berlusconi was accorded the privilege at the funeral of a well-known Italian television celebrity in Milan.
But, the leverage for the Italian premier has set off a heated debate between Catholic figures across Italy, with a priest in Genoa calling it a scandal.
“Berlusconi has committed sacrilege in the light of the fact that he is divorced and is in the process of getting divorced again,” the Telegraph quoted Father Paolo Farinella as saying.
He accused the Church of making one rule for the rich and famous and another for ordinary Catholics.
A former bishop from the southern region of Puglia, Monsignor Giuseppe Casale, said the 73-year-old premier should not be permitted to take communion because he had shown himself not to be “coherently Christian” with his behaviour.
The criticism was a veiled reference to the sex scandals, which engulfed the prime minister last summer. (ANI)
- Ruby's haste to wed boyfriend riles Catholic Church - Apr 28, 2011
- Ruby the heart stealer gives birth to girl - Dec 21, 2011
- Berlusconi-Church relations sour after attack on Catholic editor - Aug 29, 2009
- Berlusconi to take over AC Milan from daughter - Feb 17, 2012
- Italian held on suspicion of extorting money from Berlusconi - Sep 01, 2011
- Italy 'in turmoil' over new sex disclosures - Jan 20, 2011
- Berlusconi-Vatican rift widens - Sep 02, 2009
- Berlusconi 'suffers from uncontrollable sickness for women' - Nov 01, 2010
- Berlusconi's conduct 'sowing the seeds of an 'anthropological disaster' - Jan 25, 2011
- Pope's 'message to Berlusconi': 'Officials must rediscover moral roots' - Jan 22, 2011
- Berlusconi's 'has made Italians a laughing stock around the world' - Jan 27, 2011
- Berlusconi wins brief respite from sex scandals - Feb 04, 2011
- George Clooney could be a witness in the Silvio sex trial - Mar 30, 2011
- Fugitive in Berlusconi sex scandal arrested - Apr 16, 2012
- Italian ministers post salaries online - Feb 22, 2012
Tags: catholics, communion, farinella, first wife, genoa, giuseppe casale, italian prime minister, italian television, leverage, monsignor, prime minister silvio, prime minister silvio berlusconi, privilege, puglia, roman catholic church, sacrilege, sex scandals, silvio berlusconi, television celebrity, verge