Spanish Moor-killing saint is given the chop (Might offend muslims)

The Times ^ | 3 May, 2004 | From David Sharrock in Madrid

[Eurotwit]

Santiago cathedral is to lose its politically incorrect sculpture

A STATUE of Spain’s patron saint, Saint James “the Moorslayer”, is to be removed from one of the country’s most famous cathedrals and pilgrimage centres in case it offends Muslims. The decision, announced by Santiago Cathedral’s church authorities, has outraged traditional Catholics, many of whom still light candles and pray to the 18th-century statue in the tiny chapel inside one of Christendom’s three greatest pilgrim places of worship.

Although the cathedral’s spokesman insisted the decision was taken four months ago to remove the Moorslayer sculpture — which depicts the sword-wielding apostle of Jesus astride a white charger, trampling the beheaded corpses of Saracens — Spain’s national press said the announcement had more to do with the March 11 massacre of 190 people by Islamic terrorists in Madrid.

El Mundo said that the echoes from mainland Europe’s worst terrorist atrocity had accelerated the withdrawal of the famous symbol and its translation to a museum. St James, according to custom, guided the Christians to reconquer Muslim Spain.

“According to our sources, the authorities fear that the expressive image could attract the anger of the Arab world in a period of high tension,” the newspaper said.

The cathedral’s spokesman said the basilica received visits from people of distinct and various traditions and therefore needed to avoid a situation in which “persons of other cultures felt offended”.

The cathedral intends to replace the politically incorrect sculpture with another one also made in the 18th century by the same artist, José Gambino. However, it will depict the more peaceful tradition of the apostle, Saint James the Pilgrim.

“The pilgrim apostle is a universal image, whereas the other sculpture was related to a historic epoch and very particular circumstances,” said cathedral sources.

Nevertheless the mythical role of Saint James the Moorslayer still exerts a powerful attraction to Spaniards. Troops being withdrawn from Iraq as a result of the Socialist general-election victory three days after Madrid’s terrorist massacre, wear the Moorslayer’s red cross on their uniforms.

Legend has it that St James, son of Zebedee and Salomé and St John’s brother, had preached Christianity in Spain before returning to Judea where he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa in AD44.

His body miraculously floated in its stone sarcophagus across the Mediterranean and around the Iberian peninsula. It landed at Iria Flavia, a short distance from Galicia’s capital, which was later named Santiago de Compostela after him.

His body’s return to Spain inspired the Christian troops fighting the Moorish occupiers at the Battle of Clavijo in 844. He appeared on a white cloud and urged them on with his sword. The crusaders shouted to him: “Santiago y cierra Espana! St James, we will reconquer Spain!” The story reinforced the Catholic Church’s identity as a crusading force whose great aim was to defeat Islam. Monarchs, including Carlos V and Felipe V, had their portraits painted sitting on horses and dressed in similar attire to the Moorkiller.

Cervantes’ great hero, Don Quixote, called St James the Moorslayer “one of the most valiant saints and knights that the world has ever had”. The removal of the statue was welcomed by Muslims as “a great step towards achieving peace”.

Housaam El Mahmoudi, president of the Association of Moroccan Students in Santiago said that the statue’s withdrawal would open the way to “understanding and living together”.

He added that Saint James the Moorkiller was one of Christianity’s most savage symbols and “a provocation to the Arab community”.

But one conservative commentator, Cesar Lopez Llera, attacked the decision-makers, saying that it would not be long before “they surprise us with the naming of a nun as bishop or the recommendation of the use of condoms to avoid Aids”.

[AnAmericanMother]

The one posted above at No. 66 is the one that's actually in the Cathedral.

[CaptainK]

Works for me.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

The Hospital priest thinks that it costs very little to accomodate the muslims.

It would be a small cost, if that's where it ends. You expect naivete from the young, it is almost hoped for, but when exhibited in an adult it is sickening.

[Thumper1960]

So much for the vaunted Latino "machismo".

Cowards.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

The average muslim doesn't care about a cartoon character.

Perhaps not, but the Qu'ran teaches this kind of legalism.

[woofer]

“According to our sources, the authorities fear that the expressive image could attract the anger of the Arab world in a period of high tension,”

Well, if hasn't already, I'm sure this article will draw their attention.

Lest we all forget, Southern Spain was once under the dominion of the Arab Cilaph. And as such, being "islamic" land once, can never be anything but according to the wahhibist interpetation of the Qu'ran.

[Cultural Jihad]

There was peace in Spain from 1492 - March 11, 2004.

The Franco-Spanish Conquest of Naples (1500 to 1502)
The Franco-Spanish War (1589 to 1598)
The Anglo-Spanish War (1625 to 1630)
The Franco-Spanish War (1635 to 1639)
The Catalan Revolt (1640 to 1656)
The Portuguese War of Independence (1640 to 1668)
The Anglo-Spanish War (1656 to 1659)
The War of Spanish Succession (1701 to 1714)
The Spanish war with England and France (1727 to 1729)
The Spanish-Portuguese War (1761 to 1763)
The Anglo-Spanish War (1779 to 1783)
The Franco-Spanish War (1793 to 1795)
The Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815)
The Bolivian Independence War (1809 to 1825)
The Argentine War of Independence (1810 to 1816)
The Mexican War of Independence (1810 to 1821)
The Venezuelan War of Independence (1811 to 1812)
The Spanish Invasion of New Granada (1815 to 1816)
The Chilean War of Independence (1817 to 1818)
The Spanish Civil War (1820 to 1823)
The Texan War of Independence (1835 to 1836)
The Spanish-American War (1898)
The Spanish Civil War (1936 to 1939)

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Exactly. Although you don't have to follow the Qu'ran to feel that way. There are more than a few Mexicans who think the SouthWestern United States is rightfully theirs.

[USNBandit]

The difference is that last time I bet the Spanish put up a fight.

[John Thornton]

Santiago Matamoros=Saint James the Moorslayer

How long before the Islamofascists demand that the Mexicans change the name of the town of Matamoros?

[Katya]

Well, I suppose it's high time they revise and edit Shakespeares' Othello, Iago aptly named in deference to Santiago Matamoros is far too insensitive and controversial a figure and should be renamed.

[Redleg Duke]

Please! Don't tell me the Roman Catholic Church has capitulated to the Muslims!

[nuconvert]

"Halal-Hippie."

Got it.

[Gefreiter]

"He added that Saint James the Moorkiller was one of Christianity’s most savage symbols and 'a provocation to the Arab community' ".

Some questions:
Why do Muslims care what does on in a Catholic cathedral?

Why do Spanish Catholics care what Muslims think of them?

Why do any of us, among the civlized world, give a F**K about how the free exercise of Catohlicism will upset anyone else?

Where was Catholic outrage when Muslim terrorists shot their way into the Church of the Nativity and hid there for weeks from the IDF?

Where is the outrage over Muslim defilement and destruction of Orthodox churches in the Balkans?

Hmmm...the Muslim world seems awfully unconcerned about non-Muslims the world over, yet our governments and theirs CONSISTENTLY cave to their demands.

Why the hell are we fighting this war on terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other garden spots, when the social and cultural battles are being fought at our door, every day? How can we be so successful on those battlefields, but fare so poorly on our own streets?

This news from Spain has me utterly disgusted.

[livius]

The new leftist government in Spain is grovelling before Islam and trying to pressure the Catholic Church (particularly over Cordoba cathedral - which had formerly been a mosque, which in turn had been built on a Christian church destroyed by the Muslims when they conquered the area).

The clergy in Santiago have unfortunately been corrupted by many "New Age" folks who call themselves "pilgrims" and stroll along the Camino looking for Celtic holy oaks, etc. I'm not surprised that this happened there.

FYI, when the Moors overran Galicia (the part of Spain where Santiago de Compostela is located), they took the bells from the cathedral and sent them to Cordoba to be melted down to make lamps for the mosque.

[gcruse]

So it's okay for PC purposes that Spain's patron saint be made senor non grata, but in the face of severe priest shortages, celibacy cannot be relaxed to get more priests. Tradition is the excuse for the latter, but cuts no ice with the former.

[fella]

Sounds like the Spainish are starting to embrace islam by submitting to it. El Cid must be rolling over.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - SPANISH SURRENDER

[dennisw]

FYI, when the Moors overran Galicia (the part of Spain where Santiago de Compostela is located), they took the bells from the cathedral and sent them to Cordoba to be melted down to make lamps for the mosque.

Good scholarship!

[dennisw]

Thanks for the photo!