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Cardinal Pell laid out in Sydney - colorful ribbons commemorate abuse victims

2023-02-01T10:12:09.309Z


At the funeral service for the controversial clergyman, an action is intended to remind victims of abuse. The former chief financial officer of the Vatican was acquitted, but alleged victims are sticking to their allegations.


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Colorful commemoration: Cardinal Pell was convicted of child molestation but was then released from prison

Photo: David Gray / AFP

The coffin containing the body of controversial Australian Cardinal George Pell has been laid out in St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.

Pell, who died in Rome three weeks ago, was the highest-ranking minister in the history of the Catholic Church to be convicted of child molestation.

In 2020, however, he was acquitted on appeal after around 13 months in prison and released from prison.

Scores of people tied colorful ribbons to a fence outside Sydney Cathedral in memory of victims of abuse.

The organizer of the action, Paul Auchettl, emphasized that it was not a protest against Pell.

"We just want to make it clear that there is still a lot to do," he was quoted as saying by ABC.

A picture on Twitter showed Auchettl attaching ribbons to the fence himself.

"I would never have dreamed that it looks like a carpet of flowers here today," said Auchettl accordingly.

Pell, number three in the Vatican for years, died at the age of 81 after routine surgery.

The Australian government ruled out a state funeral shortly after his death.

A funeral mass is to be held for him in the church on Thursday, after which he will be buried in the crypt.

more on the subject

Controversial ex-CFO of the Vatican: Pope Francis pays tribute to late Cardinal Pell

A demonstration was planned near the church on Thursday.

The security forces had initially turned to the Supreme Court of the State of New South Wales to prevent the demo in the immediate vicinity of the church for security reasons.

However, the police have agreed with the organizers of the rally on an alternative route for the protest march, the broadcaster 9News reported.

The dispute was settled with the compromise.

The case for which Pell was being tried in his home country dates back to 1996-97, when he had just become Archbishop of Melbourne.

After a service he is said to have passed on two choirboys who were 13 years old at the time.

Pell had denied the allegations.

Australia's highest court granted the appeal in April 2020 for lack of evidence.

lmd/dpa

Source: spiegel

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