NICOSIA, Cyprus 鈥� The Orthodox Church of Cyprus on Tuesday called for the withdrawal of the country鈥檚 controversial entry into this year鈥檚 Eurovision song contest titled 鈥淓l Diablo,鈥� charging that the song makes an international mockery of country鈥檚 moral foundations by advocating 鈥渙ur surrender to the devil and promoting his worship.鈥�
The Holy Synod, the Church鈥檚 highest decision-making body, said in a statement that the song 鈥渆ssentially praises the fatalistic submission of humans to the devil鈥檚 authority鈥� and urged the state broadcaster to replace it with one that 鈥渆xpresses our history, culture, traditions and our claims.鈥�
With the Church now having officially weighed in, the controversy has taken on a new dimension after the song and its lyrics 鈥� 鈥淚 gave my heart to el diablo ... because he tells me I鈥檓 his angel鈥� 鈥� caused a stir among some in the east Mediterranean island nation, who consider it to be fraught with Satanic connotations.
The Church鈥檚 official stance came a few days after a man was charged with uttering threats and causing a disturbance when he barged onto the grounds of the public broadcaster to protest what he condemned as a 鈥渂lasphemous鈥� song that was an affront to Christianity.
Police said witnesses to Saturday鈥檚 incident told investigators the man verbally accosted employees outside the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation鈥檚 news department. Amateur video of the man confronting CyBC staff showed him screaming at a number of employees in the yard, asking how they could justify supporting such a song.
Vocal critics included a senior cleric, an organization representing theologians who teach in high schools, a far-right party and many ordinary Cypriots who took to social media to heap scorn and 鈥渄isgust鈥� at the song. However, many others defended the tune in social media posts as a simple ditty about a 鈥渟corching love affair鈥� gone bad or to label its detractors as religious zealots.
CyBC Board Chairman Andreas Frangos insisted that the song won鈥檛 be withdrawn and that it wasn鈥檛 the broadcaster鈥檚 intention to insult anyone鈥檚 religious sentiments.
Speaking on the broadcaster鈥檚 midday news show, Frangos conceded that the broadcaster should鈥檝e done a better job explaining the core message of the tune, which describes an abusive relationship between two lovers.
But the Cyprus Church rejected the broadcaster鈥檚 鈥渕etaphorical interpretation鈥� of the tune, which it said 鈥渋n no way reflects the lyrics鈥� provocative and unacceptable content which doesn鈥檛 cease to represent a terrible subculture that is completely at odds with our people鈥檚 values and goes against their Greek and Orthodox traditions.鈥�
The Church said it has received a 鈥渄eluge of reactions from thousands鈥� of people who express their 鈥渏ustified disappointment鈥� over the song, including many 鈥渞espected musicians.鈥�
鈥淔rom whatever angle you chose to look it and whichever explanations are given about the lyrics of the song, they don鈥檛 send the most ideal messages which must be sent from a semi-occupied homeland that struggles for freedom and to prevent its complete subjugation,鈥� the Holy Synod鈥檚 statement said.
Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. For centuries, the Church had been considered as the guardian of Greek Cypriots鈥� faith and ethnic identity.
Cyprus鈥� best-ever showing in the popular music competition was as runner-up in 2018 with the song 鈥淓l Fuego鈥� by singer Eleni Foureira.
The annual Eurovision contest is a beloved European institution watched by millions that often involves songs that are controversial, in questionable taste or just plain bad.
The Associated Press
