Toledo archbishop apologizes for "misuse of a sacred place" after questionable music video filmed in cathedral

Toledo, Spain, Oct 8, 2021 / 14:39 pm

Archbishop Francisco Cerro Chaves of Toledo apologized Friday for the improper use of the city’s cathedral in a music video, which includes sensual dance scenes within the church.

The archbishop “was absolutely unaware of the existence of this project, its content and the final result,” the Archdiocese of Toledo said Oct. 8, adding that the archbishop “deeply regrets these events and disapproves of the images recorded” in the cathedral.

Spanish rapper C. Tangana released a music video for his song "Ateo" (Atheist) Oct. 7, made with Argentine singer Nathy Peluso. In the video, both perform sensual and provocative dances inside the cathedral.

Fr. Juan Miguel Ferrer Grenesche, dean of the cathedral, justified Oct. 8 the recording of the music video in the sacred space.

Fr. Ferrer Grenesche, “the video presents the story of a conversion through human love. The lyrics of the song are precise: ‘I was an atheist, but now I believe, because a miracle like you had to come down from heaven.’”

In addition, the dean criticized "certain attitudes of intolerance," to which, he said, "is opposed by the understanding and acceptance of the Church, as manifested in the final sequences of the video."

On the contrary, the Archbishop of Toledo asked "humbly and sincerely for forgiveness from all the lay faithful, consecrated people and priests, who have felt justly hurt by this misuse of a sacred place."

"From this moment, the archdiocese will work to review the procedure followed to prevent something similar from happening again," the statement added.

"To do this, a protocol for the recording of images for public broadcasting in any church in the archdiocese will be immediately drawn up," he concluded.