Pope apologises after thieves steal Amazon statues

>>VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis asked forgiveness on Friday from Amazonian bishops and tribal leaders after thieves stole indigenous statues from a Vatican-area church and tossed them into the Tiber River in a bold show of conservative opposition to history’s first Latin American pope.

Pope Francis insisted that the carved wooden statues of naked pregnant women were brought to the Vatican for display during his Amazon synod “without any intention of idolatry’’, undercutting conservative claims that the wooden statues were symbols of pagan, idolatrous worship.

He said the carabinieri police had found the so-called Pachamama statues unharmed in the Tiber and would consider letting the Vatican display them during a final Mass today wrapping up the Amazon meet, but that no decision had been made.

“Above all, this happened in Rome and as the bishop of this diocese I ask forgiveness of the people who were offended by this gesture,’’ Pope Francis told the synod hall.

Pope Francis’ apology came as the three-week Amazon synod was set to wrap up yesterday when more than 180 bishops and cardinals from nine Amazonian countries were expected to vote on a final document synthesising proposals to better protect the Amazon rainforest and minister to its indigenous peoples.

The most controversial proposals include whether married men can be ordained priests to address the acute shortage of clergy in the Amazon region, where isolated communities can go months without having a proper Mass.