Catholics in a southern Indian diocese have pardoned vandals who desecrated a Christian cross, but some suspect the divisive move aimed to create religious discord ahead of state elections in Kerala next year.
The incident, the second of its type in a month, took place on Oct. 24 in Thamarassery Diocese, where five young men climbed over a 12-feet-high concrete cross on a hilltop, took pictures and circulated them on social media.
The cross was erected on the Catholic parish property in 1979. Parishioners overpower-ed the young men, took them to a police station and filed a desecration complaint.
But the diocese intervened and withdrew the complaint to help the release of the young men from police custody, said Father Benny Mundanattu, diocesan chancellor.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
The executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) meeting in Madrid this week, issued an official statement regarding the leaks
