Javier MartinezArchbishop of Granada slams eight centuries of Islamic rule during Toma festival

THE Archbishop of Granada has been accused of inciting religious hatred after declaring Spain’s eight centuries of Islamic rule as “devastating.”

Speaking during a Mass to commemorate the conquest of Moorish Granada, Javier Martinez said “eight centuries of devastation, suffering and intolerance” came to and end when the Catholic Majesties Isabel and Fernando entered the city on January 2, 1492.

He also told the congregation at Granada’s cathedral that subsequent Christian rule has resulted in “coexistence and fraternity.”

The Archbishop was speaking at the annual Toma festival, which celebrates the expulsion of the Moors – North African and Middle Eastern Muslims who ruled large parts of the Iberian peninsula for 800 years.

But his comments have been described as “dangerous” by members of the city’s Muslim community and immigrant welfare groups. The leader at Granada’s most important mezquita (Islamic place of worship) believes the declarations of the archbishop are a justification of Israel’s recent missile attacks on Gaza, which have left more than 300 Palestinians dead.

“What he said proves that he is either ignorant of the past or he is very cyncial. For some, his words may give meaning to the wave of attacks on Gaza,” said Ibrahim López, director of the Mezquita de la Paz.

Abdulhasib Castiñera, from the Mezquita Mayor, called the comments made by Martinez “obsolete and rank.” He added that they could fuel racial hatred during the Toma, a controversial celebration which has attracted members of the extreme Right in recent years.

Francisco Vigueras – a spokesman for welfare group Granada Open to Tolerance – has called on the Archbishop to apologise. “It is lamentable that Martinez has chosen to use the Toma to launch a message of confrontation instead of conciliation between different religions.

“I would like to remind the Archbishop of the Crusades and the Inquisition, which forced Jews and Muslims to convert to Catholicism or face death.”

Spain’s eight centuries of Moorish rule are considered to be the golden age of Islam. During this time, Granada’s Alhambra palace – Spain’s biggest tourist attraction with more than 13 million visitors last year – as well as the Mezquita in Córdoba were constructed. At one point, the Mezquita claimed to house the largest library in the world.

The Archbishop of Granada is no stranger to controversy. In 2007, he expelled two Indian nuns from a convent in the city because of their nationality. Last year, he was acquitted of slander in a case involving a fellow priest.

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6 COMMENTS

  1. What a fool this man is. Without the Islamic influence this part of Spain would not have the rich history, architecture and indeed language that it has now.

    When we were running around like savages they had art, mathematics (Newton is not the father of mathematics btw, a muslim was) and language.

    What an old fool with a blinkered view of history.

  2. Well said Fred & Justin.

    What a nasty lying little man from the nasty mass murdering Roman mafia.

    The first thing the stinking (literally)syphillus and plague ridden Christians did when they entered Granada was to take out all the manuscripts from the university of Granada – the western world’s most advanced knowledge on mathematics/medecine/astronomy/agriculture (the list goes on and on)and burn them – all 10 tons.

    Did these filthy savages then take the opportunity to clean themselves in the wonderful Arab baths, no of course not. After more than 5 centuries they are only now beginning to re-habilitate them.

    These Germanic (Goth/Visigoth/Vandal and Swabian scum) then proceded to deforest the whole of southern Spain. Go look at the ruined land of the Alpujarras.

    Why is it that the Spanish smallholders of today hav’nt got a clue as to how to treat the land. Do you know that these idiots have no idea what a compost heap is or that ash from the fires they love to make is potassium sulphate and a very valuable fertiliser. Have no idea what a fork or spade looks like, or understand the importance of crop rotation.

    Is this the same ugly little fat piece of excrement that held a memorial service for the sub-human Franco last year. Their ‘papa’ is a Nazi who did’nt feel inclined to die for Jesus, nor did his father – in fact the whole family were Nazis through and through.

    After the sub-humans had murdered all those with mental health problems with lethal injections, they then began the extermination of Gypsies/Jews and Slavs.

    Who were these mass murderers why non other than Catholic/Roman mafia mainly from Austria but close behind in numbers were Protestants from northern Germany – good Christians one and all.

    When the Catalan Anarchists caught these paediphile priests they threw them off the cliffs at Sitges – what a shame they did’ne manage to execute all of these vermin.

    And can any brainwashed Christian tell me why they insist on calling their invented prophet Jesus by that name.

    If as the nasty fairy story goes he was a Jew he could’nt possibly have the name Jesus, why – because Jesus is a Greek word.

    Could it be because the Roman mafia hate Jews – The papa at the end of WW11 helped thousands of Gestapo and the ‘special’ SS to escape to South America.

    Get your nasty fairy story right and give the main character his proper name – Josiah.

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