Culture

New Vatican law suggests nuns can have s*x

The Vatican has stunned followers by suggesting that “Brides of Christ” do not have to be virgins to be “married to God.”

Published

5 years ago

July 19, 2018

Africa News Watch

The Vatican has stunned followers by suggesting that “Brides of Christ” do not have to be virgins to be “married to God.”

Published earlier this year, Catholic document Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago states that physical virginity is not an “essential prerequisite” to consecration.

The Vatican has suggested that Brides of Christ can have sex.

In the Catholic Church, to live a “consecrated” life means those who dedicate their lives to following Christ live a stable and disciplined form of Christian living which includes celibacy.

Nuns are not the only women considered Brides of Christ by the Vatican.
The practise also includes consecrated virgins meaning people who “give themselves fully to Christ” and commit to a life of celibacy.

There are roughly 5,000 of these devoted Catholics worldwide. Such women usually wear a ring as a sign of their pledge to remain pure for Jesus.

The new law outlines female consecration, saying: “The call to give witness to the Church’s virginal, spousal and fruitful love for Christ is not reducible to the symbol of physical integrity.

“Thus to have kept her body in perfect continence or to have practised the virtue of chastity in an exemplary way, while of great importance with regard to the discernment, are not essential prerequisites in the absence of which admittance to consecration is not possible.”

The US Association of Consecrated Virgins has called the Vatican’s apparently new definition of consecration “shocking.”

In a statement, the group said: “The entire tradition of the Church has firmly upheld that a woman must have received the gift of virginity – both physical and spiritual – in order to receive the consecration of virgins.”

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Culture

South Africa announces inaugural Creative Arts Awards

Published

18 hours ago

November 28, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

The South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, has announced the inaugural South African Creative Arts Awards which is scheduled to hold between March and April next year.

Making the announcement on Tuesday at a news conference, Kodwa said the awards would be bestowed on South Africans and literary creatives in various sub-domains who exhibited outstanding artistic and technical outstanding achievement.

“It will be the most desired recognition in the South African creative industry,” said Kodwa.

“The awards will be exclusively for creatives from across cultural domains who push boundaries of their creative abilities and show devotion to excellence,” the minister added.

The announcement of the Creative Arts Awards is coming a few weeks after the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs withdrew support for hosting the South African Music Industry Council (SAMIC) Awards, also known as SAMAS.

Culture

20th Marrakech International Film Festival kicks off in Morocco

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

The 20th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival successfully kicked off at the weekend at the Palais des Congrès in the Ochre City, Morocco, with a plethora of distinguished figures from the world of cinema, art, culture, and media.

The weeklong festival which kicked off under the watchful eyes of King Mohammed VI, and will run till December 2, began with the customary procession of festival attendees, including Moroccan and international film greats who graced the red carpet with colourful klieglights, with American actress Jessica Chastain serving as the president of the jury.

Among the awarded are Danish actor, Mads Mikkelsen who was honored with a career achievement award for his remarkable contributions to films like “Another Round,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” and “Casino Royale,” where he portrayed a memorable James Bond villain.

In an interview with journalists after receiving his award, Mikkelsen expressed gratitude to the organisers.

“Marrakesh welcomed Scandinavian filmmakers ten years ago by paying tribute to them. So we have a shared history, and they have helped us to make a name for ourselves. We are very grateful to them,” he said.

Mélita Toscan du Plantier, Director of the Marrakech International Film Festival, highlighted this year’s packed programme with strong films and great directors, noting that the festival would feature a predominantly female jury, with six women and three men.

British actress, Tilda Swinton also emphasized the importance of film festivals, saying:

“Film festivals celebrate the opportunity in cinema to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and to reach a kind of agreement about the human experience. So film festivals are always valid.”

The opening film, Richard Linklater’s action-comedy, “Hit Man,” set a lively tone for the festival, while over 70 films, including Michel Franco’s “Memory” starring Jessica Chastain, and Matteo Garrone’s Italian immigration drama “Io Capitano,” are expected to be showcased at the event.

Moroccan Prince, Moulay Rachid, who is leading the foundation responsible for the festival, while delivering his welcome speech, emphasized that it served as an invitation for discovery, empathy, and sharing.

He added that despite challenges like Israel’s war with Hamas and a recent earthquake in Morocco, the organizers aimed to showcase cinema from Morocco, the Middle East, and Africa.

“The Marrakech International Film Festival stands as a bastion of peace, bringing people together for discovery, empathy, and sharing,” he said.