Fiona Govan
A COUPLE grinding against each other in a music video is hardly considered risqué these days but the location chosen as the backdrop to the raunchy antics for new release Ateo is causing quite a stir.
Because Spanish rapper C Tangana and Argentinian singer Nathy Peluso staged their romp in one of Spain’s most sacred places – against a wall in Toledo’s gothic cathedral.
Church authorities have launched an investigation into how permission was given for the filming of Ateo – a song meaning Atheist – a collaboration between the artists that is full of religious imagery.
It appears permission to film was granted by the Dean of the cathedral who expressed support for the project arguing that the song and its video “presents the story of a religious conversion through human love”.
He quoted lyrics from the song “I was an atheist but now I believe, because a miracle like you has to have come down from heaven” as an example.
And insisted that although the video used “provocative visuals” it was not insulting to the faith. “The aim was only ever to support a dialogue with contemporary culture while always respecting the faith of the church.”
However, the archdiocese of Toledo released a statement within hours of the video being released on Friday expressing “deep regret at what had happened” and implied the archbishop had known nothing about the project.
“We humbly and sincerely ask for the forgiveness of all the faithful, whether lay people or priests, who have rightly felt wounded by this inappropriate use of a sacred place,” said the statement.
It added that procedures would be put in place “to ensure such a thing could never happen again”.
READ ALL:
