On February 7, 2022, Metropolitan Jaсques of Buenos Aires and Argentina (Antiochian Patriarchate), Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America (Moscow Patriarchate), and Bishop Kiril of Buenos Aires and South and Central America (Serbian Patriarchate) met with Ms Delphina Helguera, director of the Museo de Arte Español Enrique Laretta.
The reason of the Orthodox bishops’ visit to the museum was their protest against the blasphemous actions concerning an icon of the Lord Jesus Christ presented at the “The Sword and the Cross’ exhibition of a modern Argentinian artist Amaya Bouquet.
An authentic Russian icon of the 19th century “The Saviour Not-Made-By-Hands” was blasphemously “renovated” by the artist. Having used an Orthodox icon as a basis for her “creative work,” Ms Bouquet covered the Precious Countenance of the Saviour by a piece of wool and put semi-precious stones on the faces of the saints on border scenes of the icon. The name of this new “work of art” – “Animal Christ and Stone-Faced Saints” – is absolutely blasphemous.
The hierarchs addressed a joint document to museum administration on the inadmissibility of displaying such exhibits in public as it is a barefaced insult of the feelings of believers and violation of ethical and moral standards accepted in the world.
The diocesan website reports that a note will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Argentina in protest against such actions concerning sacred objects of art and cult whatever the religion.
DECR Communication Service/Patriarchia.ru