Vatican: Terrorist comedian

The L'Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper for the Vatican, has accused an Italian comedian of, "Terrorism," and said that his routines could fuel a return to 1970s-style political violence in the country.

The editorial of the paper attacked Andrea Rivera, who was presenting a May Day rock concert in support of Italy's labour unions. The editorial said that he made, "vile attacks" against Pope Benedict XVI, in front of an "excitable crowd."

The L'Osservatore Romano said, "This, too, is terrorism. It's terrorism to launch attacks on the Church. It's terrorism to stoke blind and irrational rage against someone who always speaks in the name of love, love for life and love for man."

Rivera made several comments attacking the Catholic Church. He said, "The Pope says he doesn't believe in evolution. I agree, in fact the Church has never evolved."

He later attacked the Church's refusal of giving a Catholic funeral to Piergiorgio Welby, who campaigned for euthanasia as he lay paralysed with muscular dystrophy, and later died after his doctor agreed to unplug his respirator. Rivera said, "I can't stand the fact that the Vatican refused a funeral for Welby but that wasn't the case for (Chilean dictator Augusto) Pinochet or (Spanish dictator Francisco) Franco."

A few days earlier, Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco received a bullet in the post after making comments saying that his critics say he was comparing homosexuality with incest and paedophilia. The L'Osservatore said that this, along with increasing anti-clericalism in Italy and Rivera's routine are worrying. The paper said, "Some people have even twisted [Bagnasco's words] to start an insidious "war", a new season of tension, which is inspiring those who are looking for motives to return to taking up arms."

The Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi said, "We have to have calm and good sense. Unfortunately the rhetoric has continuously been getting harsher over recent months. This country doesn't need it." Prodi is also a devout Catholic, but is backing legislation for legal rights to unmarried and gay couples. This bill is also opposed by the Vatican.