Catholic Youth Group Promotes Racy Calendar Depicting the Passion of Christ

A Roman Catholic youth group in Mallorca Spain has come up with a unique fundraising idea that seems to be going well. The youth posed scantly clad for a calendar recreating scenes from the Passion of Christ. The group is almost sold out of the printer’s first run and is considering another print run. The group is raising funds for materials to aid their work in keeping other young Catholics interested in the church.

The calendar features black and white photos of young men and women recreating images from when Christianity was born. Images included nearly naked gladiators fighting with spears, Roman centurions in exposed butts escorting three Christians wearing loin clothes carrying a wooden cross and 12 naked male models covering their private parts with Roman Soldier Helmets.

Not everyone is happy with the effort however. Mallorca’s Bishop Jesus Murgui is blasting the effort as showing disrespect for the most important Catholic holiday.

“The calendar trivializes Easter,” the Bishop’s office said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press on Friday.

It added: “We regret that the religious feelings of Catholics on this island have not been taken into account and that Christian symbols should not have been shown due respect.”

The youth group’s leader, Pep Mas, said he understood the criticism of the calendar but said it fulfilled a need by raising funds and that the photographs were artistic.

“We accept criticism and opinions, but all of the shots are respectable,” Mas told the Ultima Hora newspaper.

A Roman Catholic youth group in Mallorca Spain has come up with a unique fundraising idea that seems to be going well. The youth posed scantly clad for a calendar recreating scenes from the Passion of Christ....The calendar features black and white photos of young men and women recreating images from when Christianity was born. Images included nearly naked gladiators fighting with spears, Roman centurions in exposed butts escorting three Christians wearing loin clothes carrying a wooden cross and 12 naked male models covering their private parts with Roman Soldier Helmets.

Not everyone is happy with the effort however. Mallorca’s Bishop Jesus Murgui is blasting the effort as showing disrespect for the most important Catholic holiday....We regret that the religious feelings of Catholics on this island have not been taken into account and that Christian symbols should not have been shown due respect.”

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