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The Catholic Church in Bolivia has denounced attacks of cathedrals on Women's Day. The Cathedral of Santa Cruz and the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastián, Cochabamba were both badly vandalized.
The respective Dioceses and the General Secretary of the Bolivian Episcopal Conference released statements denouncing these actions against the house of God.
🔵 #ANF | En el DÃa Internacional de la Mujer, una marcha de mujeres recorre el Prado paceño pidiendo respetos a sus derechos, justicia y cárcel para los violadores y feminicidas. (Video: RRSS) pic.twitter.com/dNfORPTkMm
— Agencia de Noticias Fides (@noticiasfides) March 8, 2023
Iglesia Santa Cruz:
"They attack the front of the Cathedral of Santa Cruz", thanks to the people of faith who defended it and prevented further damage Mar 09, 2023 This Wednesday, March 8, a demonstration was held in the city of Santa Cruz to commemorate International Women's Day. Around 8:00 p.m., said march reached the atrium of the Cathedral in Plaza 24 de Septiembre, where unfortunately some protesters defaced the walls of the Cathedral. Thanks to the timely intervention of the neighbors and people of faith who were in the atrium, further damage to the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo could be avoided. It causes great sadness and concern that some people attached to their beliefs do not respect the house of God. The Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Mártir was declared a national monument and is part of the historical and religious heritage of Santa Cruz and Bolivia.
REJECTION OF VANDALISM PERPETRATED AGAINST CATHOLIC TEMPLES "The behavior of each one seems correct, but the Lord Judges the hearts." Proverbs 21,2. From the General Secretary of the Bolivian Episcopal Conference, in view of the events that occurred yesterday, Wednesday March 8, International Women's Day, we reject the acts of vandalism perpetrated against Catholic Church temples, which constitute cultural heritage of humanity and represent the faith of believers, who feel deeply wounded by their religiosity. It is not the first time that acts like this happen on representative dates for women, by violent and radical groups of women who without any justification damage church facades, which constitute the heritage of our faith. These events have occurred in various departments of the country and have progressively become more violent, causing damage not only to the temples but also to the believers who were there, flagrantly violating the right to religious freedom. It is unacceptable that in the name of respect and non-violence more violence is generated, when there are mechanisms to express our thoughts. Faced with this recurrence of criminal acts, we pronounce ourselves rejecting them and requesting the intervention of public authorities, which must guarantee their protection, as they are cultural heritage, and we announce legal measures that guarantee respect for the rights that assist us. It is unacceptable that since the Church is the one that defends and has always defended the rights of women, she is constantly attacked, ignoring all the social work of accompaniment, reception and protection that it offers to women in vulnerable situations. We stand in solidarity with those who were victims of these attacks, including women, and we commit our prayers so that these violent situations stop and paths of dialogue and reunion can be found. La Paz, March 9, 2023 Mar 10, 2023Graciela Arandia de Hidalgo
The Archbishop of Cochabamba rejects the deterioration suffered by the Cathedral by activists on International Women's Day The church in Cochabamba rejects the deterioration suffered by the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastián, whose affectation was recorded in the march for International Women's Day, the infrastructure was attacked. The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cochabamba, Monsignor Oscar Aparicio, described this action as unacceptable and shameful. "I want to express this discomfort that yesterday on International Women's Day we have been attacked here also in the cathedral with the infrastructure, which really seems shameful to me in the sense that, in the name of seeking peace, in the name of also Raise your voice out of respect for everyone, you practically do actions that go against the respect of others. Therefore, I want to express my discomfort as Archbishop here in Cochabamba, knowing that not only have we been insulted, they are being attacked, but our institutions are also being attacked, it is an attack on the Church, it is an attack on the cultural heritage of Cochabambinos and also an attack to the Cathedral, which is our patrimony, which in the name of respect and non-violence, violence is done to us and insulted us. I think this is unacceptable for all of us," said Bishop Aparicio.
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