A satirical carnival float linking Jesus to the church abuse scandal has sparked outrage among Germany's Catholic Church leaders, who have denounced it as “tasteless.”
The float, created for the annual street parade in Cologne, features an altar boy standing in front of a confessional with an arm reaching out, seemingly inviting the boy inside.
Bold letters on the side of the confessional read, "Jesus loves you."
According to The Independant the Cologne Archdiocese has strongly condemned the float, calling the depiction deeply offensive.
In a letter published on Tuesday 25th February, the archdiocese stated: "The inscription on the confessional — 'Jesus loves you' — directly connects Jesus, the Son of God, with the abuse."
The letter added that it "suggests that Jesus himself is sitting in the confessional, pulling the altar boy in with a wave of his hand.
"At the very least, Jesus is being instrumentalised here."
This year’s Cologne carnival floats are known for their political satire and controversial themes, often poking fun at powerful figures and societal issues.
However, the church's response indicates that this particular float crossed a line.
The letter from the Archdiocese continued, "If one assumes that the Son of God is partly responsible for the terrible acts of abuse that have occurred in the Catholic Church, especially in recent years, a line has been crossed that cannot be justified in any way."
The float was also criticised by several members of the center-right Christian Democratic Party, including a former mayor of Cologne, who called it "embarrassing and tasteless."
In a statement, they argued that the float tarnished the reputation of the Cologne Shrove Monday parade and the carnival as a whole.
Cologne, traditionally a Catholic city known for its famous cathedral, has seen a growing number of disillusioned Catholics, many of whom have distanced themselves from the Church in light of ongoing sex abuse scandals.
A 2018 report commissioned by the Church revealed that at least 3,677 people had been abused by clergy members in Germany between 1946 and 2014.
Over half of the victims were aged 13 or younger, and many were altar boys.
Despite the backlash, Christoph Kuckelkorn, head of the Cologne Carnival Committee, defended the float.
"The depiction of abuse itself is not tasteless or embarrassing," he said.
"It is the abuse itself and the way it has been handled that is shameful."