Los Angeles, Calif., Feb 4, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The New York Times reported yesterday that a close associate of Mel Gibson said the actor/director has decided to delete a controversial scene about Jews from his film “The Passion of the Christ” after receiving criticism from focus groups and Jewish groups.
The scene, which the Gibson associate claimed would be cut, has Caiaphas calling down a curse on the Jewish people. In the scene, the Jewish high priest says of the crucifixion: "His blood be on us and on our children."
The passage had been included in some versions of the film that were shown before select groups, mostly of priests and ministers.
The associate only spoke to the New York Times on the condition of anonymity. Gibson’s film company, Icon Productions, has not confirmed the new editing.
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