Elsa Maishman (Reporter)
THE Catholic church of Cadiz is facing a hefty fine for allowing a Visigoth temple to suffer vandalism and neglect.
The San Ambrosio hermitage in Barbate, which was consecrated in 644, now stands in ruins.
A lack of security has allowed vandals to deface the walls and steel security fences and parts of scaffolding that supported the ancient building.
The temple belongs to the diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta, but is protected as a cultural heritage site by the Junta.
The diocese could now be facing an administrative fine between €100,000 and €1 million from the Ministry of Culture for failing to protect the building.
May be the church upkeeping is diocese´s responsability but who pays for it? Politics enforce maintenance without investments. Isn´t it a cach 22 situation?
In Franco´s time people were educated to respect church properties so the keeping was much less onerous.
The church has fleeced the flock for long enough to now pay for the responsibility that goes with past power. Happily as fewer people believe in invisible sky fairies the ill gotten gainsthey still hold become ever more expensive to maintain. If they can’t afford to look after it they should be forced to sell enough assets to raise the cash.
Charity is not ill gotten gains, funny they are going to pay the fine from the money people are giving for the cult, silly and mindlessly, if you ask.
They need all their spare cash to pay off abuse victims.
Do you speak out of experience?
Do you deny the filthy facts zabaot? If so, why has the Catholic church already paid out millions to victims?