Vatican bewildered by Bolivia's 'communist crucifix' gift to Pope Francis

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Vatican officials appear to have been flummoxed after Pope Francis was presented with a communist crucifix depicting Jesus nailed to a hammer and sickle by Bolivia’s president Evo Morales.
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The gift from the leftwing leader caused an immediate stir among conservative Catholics who said the pontiff was being manipulated for ideological reasons.
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The response of the pope was less clear. After being handed the wooden crucifix during a formal ceremony, he examined it for a few seconds before returning it to a Bolivian presidential aide.
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theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/09/bolivia-communist-crucifix-gift-pope-francis
 
According to the article:
The Bolivian government insisted there was no political motive behind the gift. Communications minister Marianela Paco said Morales had thought the “pope of the poor” would appreciate the gesture.
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But it seems unlikely that the Pope would not have been completely unaware of the gift’s meaning. The crucifix was modelled on one owned by Luís Espinal, a Jesuit priest, journalist and leftwing activist who was murdered by paramilitaries in 1980, when Bolivia was under a dictatorship.
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On Wednesday night, Francis halted his popemobile from the airport to pray at the site where Espinal’s body was found.
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Evidently the original of this screwed up and offensive object related to an athiest form of government that regularly persecuted Catholics and others is actually displayed at the Jesuits HQ in Bolivia. I guess they’re proud of it?

Saint JP2 would not be pleased.
 
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