national

Atalaya tensions subside

Bishop Brown said he ordered both a replica and the restoration of the original image.

Both the bishop and corroborating residents claim the original statue never left Atalaya.

Víctor Eliseo Rodríguez/LA PRENSA

calm: A large number of faithful followers visited the temple to see the image of Jesus of Nazareth. The bishop offered clarification as to the restoration and replication of the statue, with residents’ corroboration.1147320

Yesterday, in perhaps the calmest atmosphere in recent days, Veraguas Bishop Oscar Mario Brown acknowledged to La Prensa that it was he who authorized the removal of the image of Jesus Nazarene from the temple, because it was damaged and needed to be restored.

Brown said yesterday that the statue was taken from the San Miguel Arcángel Church with the intention of "working on its restoration” in-house and that it never left Atalaya. The bishop confirmed that, in addition to the restoration work on the original image, he also ordered the production of a replica for use in processions, as the original figure could be damaged further due to the degree of deterioration that it already is showing. According to the prelate, there is nothing to be investigated and no one to be punished, "because there was no crime committed."

Atalaya residents claimed that, after three days of having the basilica closed, the morning of Nov. 24 the original image of the Nazarene was taken from its usual place and was replaced with a replica that remained there until Jan. 5.

"The image never left the district of Atalaya," reiterated Bishop Brown, adding that there was never any intention to send it overseas.

Local residents corroborated his story, saying that after it was removed from the temple, the image was taken to a room in the presbytery.

Casimiro García Rodríguez, who sculpted the replica of Jesus Nazarene and altered the original image, said that it remained in the room that the neighbors described until Jan. 5 when, due to protests in the vicinity of the temple, it was ordered to be moved to the second floor.

There, the craftsman did some minor tweaking to the hands of the statue in order to prepare it for its return, he said.

According to the bishp, the statue was in dire need of restoration. Nonetheless, religious followers felt that the manner in which it was done was not the most prudent and is what set off the demonstrations.

Yesterday, in the district of Atalaya, there were still many people who flocked to the temple to observe and pray before the image of the Nazarene.

Meanwhile, since last Sunday, mass has been officiated by Isaiah Hernández and another priest in place of the original priest, Gilberto Hernández. Bishop Brown assures, however, that a possible transfer should not be seen as a sanction.

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