Catholic Leaders Step Down After Statue of Mary Receives ‘Botched’ Makeover
Two Roman Catholic Church leaders in Seville, Spain, have stepped down and apologized following a public outcry over the restoration of a statue of Mary.
The 17th century statue, known as the Virgin of La Macarena, underwent months of restoration before being unveiled last Friday. The updated version featured altered facial features, including a new skin tone, longer eyelashes, and a different expression.
Catholics were so upset that the Brotherhood of the Macarena issued a statement at two in the morning the following day, asking for “forgiveness for the moral and devotional damage” caused by the restoration. The statue underwent two emergency updates over the next five days, but these changes brought little satisfaction.
According to The Times:
The sight provoked protests, complaints and tears from many brothers. “This isn’t her; this isn’t the Virgin of Seville. It’s sad. My heart is about to burst out,” one told ABC newspaper. “They should have left her as she was.” Another commented: “I came to see her because everyone in my family has been crying all day about it.”
Some critics have even compared the situation to the infamous ‘Monkey Jesus’ restoration of 2012, though that may be a slight exaggeration.
