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Fri, May 25 2012
Bulgarian clergy wants Madonna gig cancelled
Despite thousands of protest letters, Madonna's concert in Warsaw, part of the pop singer's Sticky and Sweet Tour, went ahead as scheduled.
Photo: Kacper Pempel
Living up to her stage name, Madonna is doing her best to heal the schism of Christendom – shortly after Catholics in Poland protested against the singer's concert in Warsaw on August 15, Orthodox priests in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv have followed suit, asking for Madonna's gig in Sofia on August 29 to be cancelled.
The reasoning is the same – a clash with a major religious holiday. In Poland's case, it was the celebration of Virgin Mary's assumption, while Bulgaria's Eastern Orthodox will hold the feast day of St John the Baptist.
Orthodox precepts prescribe a strict fasting, with only bread and water allowed, and total abstention from any kind of lay celebrations, according to Father Emil Paralingov, as quoted by Bulgarian daily Standart.
"I cannot even call the singer with the name she chose, because we call the Virgin Mary the Madonna," Paralingov was quoted as saying.
Paralingov asked for the concert to be cancelled and said that his call was supported by other priests in Plovdiv, the daily said.
The reasoning is the same – a clash with a major religious holiday. In Poland's case, it was the celebration of Virgin Mary's assumption, while Bulgaria's Eastern Orthodox will hold the feast day of St John the Baptist.
Orthodox precepts prescribe a strict fasting, with only bread and water allowed, and total abstention from any kind of lay celebrations, according to Father Emil Paralingov, as quoted by Bulgarian daily Standart.
"I cannot even call the singer with the name she chose, because we call the Virgin Mary the Madonna," Paralingov was quoted as saying.
Paralingov asked for the concert to be cancelled and said that his call was supported by other priests in Plovdiv, the daily said.
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This comment has been hidden by the moderator because it contained квалификации.
Wow, this is getting weirder and weirder. How many nutcases in BG cannot accept freedom of speech? It looks like the BG population needs some serious remedial lessons on what freedom of speech means.
As if any Bulgarian give a shit about a religious holiday, most of them are hyopcrites, they don't go to church, most believe in God when it suites them. Most Bulgarians will be drunk on this day as any other day with no regard to any holiday. Let Bulgarians have some fun and see the greatest performer ever and those that don't agree, get over yourselves.
Elf - is there a difference? I thought they all believe that Jesus was a tall, blue eyed, Bulgarian speaking hebrew from Nazareth with long fair hair and fair skin. As the average Nazarene was not very tall, dark skinned, brown eyed, with short hair no wonder he stood out from the crowd. They could not understand him though as they all spoke an Aramaic language closer to ancient Hebrew with a good dose of latin.
Cosmos,Before you make your comment read the news it's not Catholics, it's Orthodox priests in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
god bless madonna...and all who sail in her.
This comment has been hidden by the moderator because it contained квалификации.
These people show a very bad picture ob Bulgaria. But I am confident that real good people in your country will give a fantastic welcome to Madonna,world's greatest entertainer.
I support the clergy. The 29th is an important day.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained реклама & спам
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained реклама & спам
The Madonna show should be cancelled because it is not a good show and because she is a poor entertainer. John the Baptist is as good an excuse as any to be rid of this dreadful woman.
Will these religious crack pots leave the woman alone she is a better entertainer than any so called church at least people want to see her.As far as the catholics are concerned they are a bunch of sexpots who are only interested in gay sex younger the better mainly boys. Get rid of religion and the world would be a better place. So go and worship your unseeing so called god and leave us to our choices i would rather look at her than a load of two faced religious nuts.
I understand that every day of the year is an othodox saint, feast or other listed event. So according to the christians then - no more music, dancing, eating ,drinking etc for anyone - ever; even if they are not christians.
Why are the catholics in Plovdiv moaning about something happening in Sofia anyway?
Pity about the tens of thousands of females in the world called 'Madonna', clearly they are not welcome in Bulgaria either.
I am sure the singer Madonna would also like to thank the Orthodox [...]
Read the full comment church for all the free publicity they have organised.
She didn't choose to be called Madonna, that's the name her parents gave her...