Dec 18, 2005 / 22:00 pm
America magazine will publish an apology on Today’s edition about an ad for a offensive Virgin Mary statue.
The ad which was published in its December 5th edition, was for a “Extra Virgin Mary” statue. It appeared on page 36 of the December 5 edition which displayed a virgin covered with “delicate veil of latex”, in English: a condom.
Editor Fr. Christiansen said to CNA he was “deeply offended” by this ad. It first appeared in the magazine "because black-and-white copy of the ad didn’t make it evident" it was a condom. He said the magazine will take further steps to be more careful these adds don’t appear anymore in the magazine.
Apparently, in spite of various checks before printing, the offensive ad from Steven Rosenthal from the United Kingdom, appeared unnoticed for editors of the magazine.
The statue itself is called “Extra Virgin,” and is described in the add as “A stunning 22cm high statue of the Virgin Mary standing atop a serpent wearing a delicate veil of latex.” The statue can be bought for 300$.
Apparently America magazine didn’t realize the words “delicate veil of latex” meant condom.
The artist's e-mail is steveonamission@hotmail.com