Aug 21, 2006 / 22:00 pm
A priest in the city of Valencia has elected not to repair damages to his parish that were the result of vandalism prior to the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in July.
Father Juan Luis Orquin of the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption decided not to repair the doors to the church, which were partially destroyed by fire, as an historical reminder of the persecution the parish endured because of the papal visit.
The parish is located in district of the city known for “all kinds of excesses.” It’s not uncommon to see anti-Catholic graffiti as well.
According to the Spanish daily “El Levante,” the night before Pope Benedict’s arrival in Spain a group of vandals set fire to an object and threw it at the church doors. The fire was eventually put out but the damage can still be seen.