News

Bishops warned against altar strippers

November 27, 2009 Edition 2

The Vatican has warned Italy's bishops against letting deserted churches be transformed into nightclubs if the decision was taken to sell the places of worship.

Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's new culture commissar, urged "the greatest caution" after announcing that Roman Catholic churches with few worshippers could be sold off. He cited a church in Hungary which was "transformed into a nightclub and where striptease took place on the altar".

Bishops would decide which sites should be sold. - Sapa-AFP