The faithful criticize the dance in underwear at the church of Leiria – Society

A dance performance organized in the ancient Misericórdia Church of Leiria, today Center for Intercultural Dialogue, arouses controversy because of the clothing of dancers – who wear underwear – and the choreography itself which involves movements at the altar. religious images. The show took place in April, on the occasion of World Dance Day, but it was the broadcast of photographs and a video on social networks that provoked "indignation protests".

The diocese of Leiria-Fatima, in a "note of information", asks for "a capacity for discernment, common sense" and respect for the "historical memory and Christian symbols" of the day. building. He also calls for avoiding "situations that cause repudiation and are considered offensive to his dignity".

Father Manuel Pina Pedro says that "there are not enough adjectives to characterize such an atrocity", considering the show as "a terrible blasphemy and a"

The Santa Casa da Misericória de Leiria, owner of the building, declares in statements to the Leiria region that "Christian symbols and images have not been respected" and asks the chamber to create "mechanisms" [19659002] Gonçalo Lopes, a councilor of culture, says that "there was a conflict of ideology" and sent to the Metadança Cultural Association explanations about the "nature" of the presented shows at the festival, which took place in April and involved a group of students from the School of Dance of the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon

Francisco Pedro, orientador of artistic residencies that of the festival Metadança , which included the controversial dance show – disagree with c the criticism, says that "they made misinterpretations" and guarantees that "There was no intention of shocking any type of religion."

Opposition to the room speaks of offense and makes a vehement protest
PSD advisers Fernando Costa and Álvaro Madureira considered the show "inappropriate and lecherous" at the last meeting executive led by the PS. Fernando Costa left a "vehement protest" and said that he was "offended". "To do there shows that offensive religious traditions are inappropriate and inadmissible." Álvaro Madureira criticized the "dress" of the dancers and asked for "sensitivity in the management of spaces", since "the reactions of the whole world" appeared.

Building reduced to secular use, but maintains the symbolism
in the historic center of the city, the building was reduced to profane in 2014, by decree of the bishop and at the request of Mercy, who is the owner and sells the surface to the Câmara de Leiria, to serve as Center for Intercultural Dialogue. "Although he has been desecrated, he continues to testify of what was a symbolic place for the believing community," says the diocese note.

DETAILS
Chamber Works
The building was very degraded and the municipality of Leiria invested 570 thousand euros in the restoration of the old church and the museum project.

17 000 visitors
In this first year, the Center for Intercultural Dialogue constituted by the old church and the house of painters

Jewish Community
It was built in 1544 on the synagogue of the Jewish community of Leiria that existed there, constituting one of 12 anchor projects for the success of the Jewish Jewry Network.