Satanist display placed in Illinois administration
Satanists (centre) and Catholics (right) at the Illinois Capitol.Photo: religionnews.com
For the third year in a row, the Satanic Temple of Illinois set up a holiday display in the state Capitol rotunda (Springfield, USA), reports abc7chicago.com.
The installation represents Baphomet, depicted as a swaddled baby, and is placed next to a Christian display.
" The Capitol welcomes a diverse range of religions every year to display holiday statues during the holiday season, so we wanted to join in on that," said a spokesperson for the Satanic Temple of Illinois. About 20 Satanists gathered in the rotunda for the opening of the display on Tuesday, December 21.
Nearby, Catholic groups denounced the display. Parishioners held signs saying "Satan has no rights" and "Mary crushes the serpent." A local Catholic bishop, Thomas John Paprocki, spoke sharply negatively about the Satanist installation.
A sign from the state of Illinois in the rotunda reads in part, "because the first floor of the Capitol rotunda is a public place, state officials cannot legally censor the content of speech or displays."
The UOJ wrote that a sculpture similar to the "beast" from the Apocalypse was erected near the UN building.
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