Thread: Spanish Government Gives Police Medal To Virgin Mary Statue

Spanish government to face court after policing award given to the Virgin Mary

Interior minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, singled out the Virgin Mary to receive the gold medal of police merit. Photograph: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Spain's government is being taken to court over a minister's decision to give the country's top policing award to a statue of the Virgin Mary.

The country's interior minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, singled out an icon of the Virgin Mary, in Málaga, to receive the gold medal of police merit – which is normally reserved for police who have died in terrorist attacks.

Announcing the award in February, Díaz lauded the Virgin and her congregation for "maintaining a close collaboration with police, particularly during the acts celebrated in Holy Week, and for sharing police values such as dedication, caring, solidarity and sacrifice".

The award has infuriated secularists, who are demanding the medal be revoked, given that the Virgin and her congregation had "failed" to meet any of the minimum requirements.

"The norm specifies clearly that the medal is given to people not immaterial beings," said Francisco Delgado, of Secular Europe. "It's meant to recognise exceptional acts of service by police."

His group has joined forces with the Movement Towards A Secular State (Movimiento hacia un estado laico) to bring the interior minister to court. The case will be heard in June.

READ MORE: Spanish government to face court after policing award given to the Virgin Mary | World news | theguardian.com

Mother of God!
What were they thinking?

FFS.....maybe he believes the "Virgin Mary" is a crime fighter, like Wonderwoman ...or else he is a certified lunatic

Still amazing is the Power wielded by Mary.

Nutters.
Christian.

Notwithstanding her obvious lack of policing experience, surely a woman who can ride a donkey for a week and then give birth to a son, in a cow-shed, while still a virgin deserves an award of some kind. Long overdue I would say....well done Spain...

She deserves an award for convincing Joseph that a "holy spirit" put her up the duff, when it was probably the milkman.