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CV NEWS FEED // The Archbishop of Toulouse, France, Guy de Kerimel, will consecrate the city to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a special Mass on October 16, aiming to shield the city and its Diocese from what he has called “dark threats and despair.”
The consecration was scheduled for the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of Jesus to France’s St. Margaret Mary Alocoque.
Archbishop Kerimel initiated the consecration in response to growing concerns over a theater performance, “The Gates of Darkness,” scheduled to take place later this month, according to a report from English.katholisch.de.
“The Gates of Darkness” has drawn criticism from clergy for its use of imagery, including depictions of Satan, skeletons, and the Minotaur. Arriving in Toulouse after being displayed at a heavy metal festival, the performance also features a creation called the “Lilith machine” depicting a “Half woman, half scorpion, with spider legs and ram horns,” according to an October 16 report from LaCroix.
According to the script of the show, the Lilith machine’s mission is to take “the souls of the damned” to Hades, LaCroix reported.
In a recent interview, Archbishop Kerimel expressed concern over the portrayal of hell as a form of entertainment and the “trivializing of evil.” He added that while his intention is not to “wage a war against art,” he believes Christians must push back against such depictions that attempt to “erase 2,000 years of Catholicism.” The Archbishop cited the France Olympic Games opening ceremony, which parodied the Last Supper, as another example.
The performance’s promotional materials also show the city’s church engulfed in flames, a depiction described as “very distasteful” by Archbishop Kerimel in light of recent arson attacks on churches in France, according to English.katholisch.de.
LaCroix reported that Catholic leaders have been warning against the spectacle since the summer of 2024. The creator of the show, François Delaroziere, responded with surprise, claiming the reaction was outdated and that the show is “a family story.”
“I believe we are witnessing the return of a form of puritanism,” he said, according to LaCroix. “I have no intention of expressing satanic viewpoints.”
