a nativity scene with two mothers to surround Jesus sows discord in Italy

In place of Mary and Joseph who flank the child Jesus, a priest installed two figurines representing two women, which aroused the anger of some Catholics and the Italian political class.

In Italy, a predominantly Catholic country, nativity scenes are popular during the Christmas period. But an hour’s drive from Naples, in a hamlet, the priest of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul revisits, Monday, December 25, the conventional representation of the Christmas nativity scene. Exit Joseph, he preferred to put two mothers to symbolize the birth of the Child Jesus.

In fact, Father Della Sala defends himself by explaining that he “wants to show through this deliberately provocative scene that today families are no longer just traditional.” The priest wants to raise questions about the changes taking place within society. “In our parisheshe said, we are seeing more and more children from new types of families, children of separated and divorced people, of homosexual couples, of single people, of young mothers.”

Reactions are violent

Father Della Sala is already known in the country for his left-wing positions and his sympathy towards the LGBT community. Immediately, the conservatives took up the subject. Within the Forza Italia party, in power in Italy, senator Maurizio Gasparri denounces an LGBT crèche which “offends all those who have always had respect and devotion for the Holy Family.” The Pro Vita et Famiglia, pro life and family association, the main anti-abortion movement in Italy, describes the crèche as dangerous and blasphemous because, according to this group, it legitimizes same-sex parenting and surrogacy. An online petition was launched to put pressure on the bishop to intervene.

The scandal arrives in a very special context. Pope Francis has just made a historic decision by authorizing priests to bless same-sex couples. Father Della Sala said “be part of this trend. My attitude, explains the priest, is consistent with that of the Pope.”

On the political front, the Italian government has proposed a law that would criminalize couples who use surrogacy while going abroad, as the practice is illegal in Italy. The law is currently being discussed in parliament. The far-right Brothers of Italy party is proposing another bill that would prevent public schools from banning Christmas nativity scenes. The Italian priest’s nursery galvanizes conservatives and extremists.