A priest's unconventional mass has caused a stir in Italy. The young priest Mattia Bernasconi led a Catholic summer camp for young people in Calabria in southern Italy. He wanted to celebrate a closing service with them and looked in vain for a shady place on a campsite. Because of the high temperatures, he and the young people then decided to hold the mass in the sea, he explained to the Italian media.
Photos of the action quickly spread on social media, showing how the priest quickly converted an air mattress into an altar. The reactions were mixed. In the comments of this tweet, the author and other users criticize that this is a case of "liturgical abuse" - i.e. when services are not held according to the will and norms of the church. According to the AFP news agency, other users even praised the priest for spreading the word of God on the beach.
The Archdiocese of Crotone in Calabria criticized the priest's action and pointed out that the gestures and symbols of the Eucharistic celebration should be respected. The public prosecutor's office has now also intervened and, according to the Italian media, is investigating "denigration of a religious community." Priest Bernasconi himself had previously apologized in an open letter to the Archbishop and all the faithful. He hopes "that you will understand my good intentions, which have been marred by too much naivety, and accept my sincere request for forgiveness," Euronews quoted the letter as saying.
In the gallery: In some free churches of the Pentecostal movement so-called "serpent handling" is practiced. Believers stroke poisonous snakes without any protection and sometimes even drink their poison - to prove their faith.
Sources: AFP, Euronews, Twitter, Katholisch.de
