CARDINAL KUHARIC PROTESTS BLASPHEMY ON CROATIAN TELEVISION

Zagreb, November 13, 1995 (IKA) – On the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone for the newvotive church of the Holy Mother of Freedom in the Zagreb suburb of Jarun, the metropolitanarchbishop of Zagreb Cardinal Franjo Kuharić sharply criticized blasphemy on Croatian television in connection with the feast day of St. Martin. Since ancient times, there has been a custom associated with this feast day known as the “baptism” of fermenting grape juice whereby it is declared to be wine. This folk celebration is usually led by one of the participants who represents St. Martin dressed in bishop#!s vestments. However, the ceremony was presented on television in an extremely vulgar manner, with elements of ancient pagan bacchanalias and a blasphemous reference to the Holy Trinity. The Christian saint was called the son of the god Bacchus and the patron saint of drunkenness. Cardinal Kuharić used this occasion to speak out against the increasingly frequent irresponsible and vulgar misuse and distortion of religion, including blasphemy, on television and in other Croatian mass media. Due to ignorance about the basics of Christianity and irreverence toward what is sacred to much of the audience, some writers and directors in the mass media have exceeded the boundaries of good taste and aroused indignation among many of the faithful and the Church leadership. (c11137hr/žk)