The priest who mocked Preta Gil may be banned from saying masses

The case of the priest Danilo Cesare had nationwide repercussions after offensive statements made during a mass in the parish of São José, in Areial, in the interior of Paraíba. During the celebration, the cleric mocked African practices by mentioning the singer Gilberto Gilsaying: “Gilberto Gil said a prayer to the orixás, where is the power of these orixás who did not resurrect Preta Gil?”. The speech, which took place on July 27, went viral on social media, sparking strong indignation among defenders of religious freedom and human rights.

Faced with the repercussions, Gilberto Gil’s family decided to take legal action. The lawyer Layanna Piau confirmed that the artist will sue the priest, requesting compensation of R$370,000 for moral damages. The accusation points to the crime of religious intolerance and racism, since the priest’s statement directly attacks the beliefs of religions of African origin, such as Candomblé and Umbanda. According to experts, the case could have serious consequences in the criminal and religious fields.

Possible legal and religious consequences

The lawyer Alan Pitombopresident of the Commission to fight religious intolerance of the OAB-BA, underlined that the priest can be covered by law 7.716/1989, known as Lei Caó, which punishes acts of discrimination based on religion, race or ethnicity. He explained that the legislation was tightened in 2023, equating racism and racial slurs, as well as considering social media as an aggravating factor, which can increase the sentence to up to five years in prison. Furthermore, the fact that the crime occurred during a religious celebration may result in the priest being banned from continuing to exercise his priestly functions.

Pitombo also reinforced the severity of hate speech in digital environments, saying: “Social networks have ended up becoming a favorable territory for this. An attack on religiosity is an attack on identity”. The Public Prosecutor of Bahia can file a complaint, as this is a public action. The case remains under analysis and should open an important debate on respect for religious differences and on the responsibility in the use of words by spiritual leaders.

Source: Terra