{"id":26137,"date":"2023-10-21T12:10:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T12:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/berkshiredoulas.com\/?p=26137"},"modified":"2023-10-21T12:10:29","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T12:10:29","slug":"pumpkin-smashing-priest-sorry-for-vandalising-village-kids-halloween-display","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/berkshiredoulas.com\/world-news\/pumpkin-smashing-priest-sorry-for-vandalising-village-kids-halloween-display\/","title":{"rendered":"Pumpkin smashing priest \u2018sorry\u2019 for vandalising village kids\u2019 Halloween display"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A Czech village priest who went on a Halloween-hating rampage smashing pumpkins designed by children has apologised.<\/p>\n

Father Jaromir Smejkal wrote an open letter to the local mayor after receiving \u201cverbal abuse\u201d from some citizens for his destructive outburst in Kurdejov, a small community in the South Moravia region last weekend.<\/p>\n

The Catholic priest said he attacked the \u201csatanic\u201d Halloween symbols because they had been placed close to a holy shrine and they were representative of \u201cspirits (evil)\u201d.<\/p>\n

Over two days Fr Smejkal smote the large orange carved objects because he said he was acting “according to my faith and duty to be a father and protector of entrusted children \u2018souls\u2019 and removed symbols.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, after outrage at the vandalism Fr Smejkal wrote that he has since realised the pumpkins had been created as part of a community event he was not aware of.<\/p>\n

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His letter continued: \u201cOnly the next day I learned that it was a communal event and children’s creations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I knew that, despite my duty to act decisively and radically against evil, I would have considered touching the feelings of my loved ones, especially, children, and I would adapt an external expression of my action to that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t like hurting anyone, especially children, and therefore I apologise.\u201d<\/p>\n

The BBC reports Fr Smejkal, who preaches at the Roman Catholic Church of St John the Baptist, also added in his letter that the Halloween is something born in a \u201ccontemporary world as a counterweight\u201d to the Christian holidays of \u2018All Saints\u2019 and \u2018All Souls\u2019.<\/p>\n

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