[Korazym.org/Blog dell’Editore, 18.04.2024 – Veronica Cireneo] – We receive from the “Quanta Cura Committee” and spread the news that although the blasphemous exhibition in Carpi has been closed to the public, the Rosaries continue. So, see you on Saturday 20th April.
The offense to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was such that a lifetime would not be enough to console Him. It will certainly also be a Rosary of thanksgiving for the mercy that He used towards the little ones who were scandalized by him, leading circumstances to lower the curtain on that obscene exhibition, which history will not forget. Deo gratias.
Veronica Cireneo
Telegram channel of the Allies of the Eucharist and the Gospel [QUI]
The prayer of reparation continues in Carpi
“Pray and never tire of thanking God” (Col 4:2)
April 18, 2024
Dear,
“Persevering in prayer” (Rm 12,12) always grateful to the Blessed Virgin Mary and trusting in her Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, we meet for the day after tomorrow, Saturday 20 April, always at 6.00 pm and in the same place.
“I am the light of the world, whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12).
Happy day and see you soon!
Marco
The “Gratia Plena” exhibition closes its doors
The declaration of the artist Andrea Saltini
April 17, 2024
I inform you that the “Gratia Plena” exhibition, set up at the Cardinal Rodolfo Pio di Savoia diocesan museum in Carpi, will end, against my will, on 18 April 2024. The decision is dictated by my precarious state of health, following the attack I suffered and to the continuous demonstrations of dissent culminating in the well-known episodes of physical and verbal violence. Furthermore, it is no longer possible for me to cover the costs relating to security, previously unforeseen, which are indispensable in order to guarantee the peaceful access of visitors to the exhibition and the safety of all collaborators and volunteers. A heartfelt and dutiful thank you to the curators of the exhibition, to my team and to all those who supported me.
Press release from the Diocese of Carpi
on the early closure of the “Gratia Plena” exhibition
April 17, 2024
On the early closure of the “Gratia plena” exhibition, understanding and sharing with the artist’s motivations. The succession of hate attacks also against the Church of Carpi and its Pastors is serious.
The Diocesan Museum takes note of the decision of the artist Andrea Saltini to interrupt the opening to the public of the “Gratia plena” exhibition set up with some of his works. In expressing full understanding and sharing of the reasons given, we thank Andrea Saltini for sharing a partly pioneering attempt to identify possible interactions between contemporary artistic experiences and religious paths and mystical research.
The gravity of the succession of hate attacks, of the violence against a work and even against the artist himself, of the systematic and aggressive demonstrations of hostility towards the Church of Carpi and, specifically, its Pastors, is not lost on us. He regrets that the repeated invitations to seek a peaceful, frank and correct dialogue were not accepted, lowering the noisy and coarse tones.
In the opening days over two thousand people visited the exhibition and civilly expressed their impressions. The comparison, regarding the relationship between artists and the Gospel so desired by the Church starting from the Vatican Ecumenical Council and in particular by Pope Paul VI, will continue in the specific synodal construction site. It will then continue with other initiatives in society and in the church on the possibility of using new languages to address spiritual and religious themes through different artistic expressions. Precisely the laboriously tumultuous debates of these days have shown us the need for more fraternal balances and deeper appropriate reflections to adequately relate to the complexity of an intercultural dialogue that is not trivially irenic or prejudicially conflictual.
The response of the Catholic associations
to the Press Release of the Diocese of Carpi
on the blasphemous exhibition “Gratia plena”
The Curia of Carpi reflects on its mistakes
April 17, 2024
In relation to today’s press release from the Diocese of Carpi regarding the early closure of the “Gratia plena” exhibition by Andrea Saltini, we believe it is important to offer another perspective that reflects the observations and documented testimonies collected during the exhibition period.
Contrary to what is reported in the press release, we would like to highlight that visitors’ reactions to the content of the exhibition were peaceful. The demonstrations of the groups labeled as “ultra-Catholic” were characterized only and exclusively by completely non-violent public actions, limiting themselves mainly to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to letters from the faithful to the Curia of Carpi (to which no one ever responded), to the petition of Pro Vita e Famiglia with the 31 thousand signatures collected in a short time, the posters put up and the sail truck that circulated through the streets of Carpi and Modena to ask for an end to the blasphemous exhibition. It had never happened that such a loud cry of indignation arose from all over Italy in the face of such a clumsy and scandalous operation.
It is important to underline that the claims of alleged systematic hate attacks and assaults do not match the documented events. Such descriptions obscure the reality of the facts and alter public perception, mystifying what really happened and not taking into account the suffering of many faithful in seeing the Holy Virgin Mary offended and Our Lord Jesus vulgarly insulted.
With due respect towards Monsignor Erio Castellucci, we express all our concern for the conception, management and communication of this matter by the Curia of Carpi. We hope that this completely self-referential and deaf approach to true dialogue is not the style of the much publicized “synodal construction site”.
Furthermore, regarding the allegations of an assault suffered by Andrea Saltini, we hope that the authorities’ investigations proceed with scruple and thoroughness, ensuring that all aspects, even the most minute, are considered. Catholic associations express their interest in clarifying the entire matter, condemning any act of violence, real or presumed, and any attempt to manipulate public opinion, wherever it comes from.
San Michele Arcangelo cultural association
Liberi in Veritate Committee of Parma and Piacenza
Quanta Cura Committee
Confederation of the Triarii
Not Praevalebunt Fidenza
Rosario Parma (Friday evening, 8.45pm)
Faithful of Modena and Carpi
When art distorts the sacred
And the shepherds applaud
The question arose starting from the “Gratia plena” exhibition, inaugurated on Saturday 2 March 2024, which exhibits the works of the artist Andrea Saltini, at the “Cardinal Rodolfo Pio di Savoia” diocesan museum at the Church of Sant’Ignazio in Carpi.
There has been talk of blasphemous and desecrating art, in particular for a painting in which a man is portrayed bending over the private parts of Jesus. The title of the painting is INRI. Saint Longinus. The Diocese of Carpi defends the artist with all his might.
According to tradition, Longinus is the Roman soldier who gave the last blow of the spear to the side of the crucified Christ. He later converted and became one of the first Christians.
Since the Curia, annoyed, invited us to look at the painting with eyes free from malice, Paolo Gulisano he followed the authoritative indication to the letter, observing him for a long time and on 7 March 2024 he expressed some considerations: «What is first of all striking about the man portrayed, who should represent Jesus, is that there is no sign of the Passion, except nail holes in his hands and feet. Not a scratch on that hairless and ephebic body. Not a drop of blood, not even on the side which Longinus also pierced with a long and sharp spear. Not a sign of the lashes received, nor of the crown of thorns. His face is clean, even carefully clean-shaven. From a medico-legal point of view, it is very difficult to establish the cause of death. Perhaps due to poisoning. It is also difficult to confirm the identity of the victim, which does not correspond to the sign with the writing INRI found next to the body.
As regards the so-called Longinus, what can be said is that it is a man, portrayed from behind and bent over, who presses with his left hand under the side of Jesus. The portrait captures the man in such a way that his head it overlaps the victim’s pudenda, in a game of apparent modesty but also of ambiguity. Is this really Longinus? It cannot be established, but there is no certainty, and the fact that the character is not wearing Roman soldier clothes, but a modern-style blue shirt, leads to suspicion. It cannot be ruled out that the artist actually wanted to depict himself.
A deliberately ambiguous self-portrait. Perhaps a request for forgiveness, or an attempt to repair the harm done to Christ with one’s own sins, by acknowledging the wound caused. But also a possible unhealthy necrophilic type of attention.
The protests of those who were indignant at the strange scene were therefore right, which moreover, with all due respect to the monsignors of the Lower Po Valley who defended the painting a priori, has no reference to Scripture, given that Longinus had certainly not taken part in the deposition from the Cross.
It is therefore a bizarre work to say the least. It is certainly not sacred art, and therefore certainly inappropriate in the context in which it was exhibited.
An artist is free to give his own interpretation, but not to distort reality. In this painting the so-called Jesus is not actually Jesus, but a bad imitation of him, a parody. A bloodless and ethereal Jesus, completely deprived of the dimension of suffering, of the saving Passion. And such is also the self-styled Longinus, a fascinating figure of the hagiographic tradition, here distorted in an equivocal way.
Unfortunately, these manipulations of the Sacred are nothing new, but in this case the sad news was the a priori and angry defense of what happened by the ecclesial apparatus. If the Church does not carry out its task of defending the truth and becomes an assertor of ambiguity, there is really cause for concern.”
Tags: blasphemous exhibition Carpi closes Rosaries continue
