“Passion”: first movie in 34 years for Honduran Cardinal

Managua, Nicaragua, Mar 24, 2004 / 22:00 pm

According to Catholic radio in Honduras, Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo, Archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua, saw “The Passion of the Christ last Thursday, the first film he has seen in 34 years, and was profoundly moved by the experience.

The Cardinal, whose last visit to the theaters was to see “Jesus Christ Superstar” 34 years ago, said, “The Passion” “is a movie that helps us to mediate Christ, who endured an horrible death for us.”  “It’s a film that is faithful to Sacred Scripture, especially to the book of the prophet Isaiah:  ‘like a lamb that is led to the slaughterhouse, like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers never opening its mouth, I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard’,” said Cardinal Obando.

He also rejected the accusations of anti-Semitism against the film, saying the movie “follows history and mentions those who participated in the death of Christ, who himself told his disciples beforehand that He would go up to Jerusalem to the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and the high priests, who would hand him over to be put to death.  The movie does not include anything against our Jewish brethren.  I believe we are all responsible for the death of Christ, because He died for the sins of all humanity.”

“The movie is based on Sacred Scripture,” says the Cardinal, adding that “in this season of Lent it will help us to reflect upon the sacrifice of Christ and to become new men and women born again through grace.”