Msgr. Antonio Suetta, Bishop of Ventimiglia-San Remo, presided this Friday morning over a penitential rite of reparation in the Church of the Holy Guardian Angels in Grimaldi, in Ventimiglia (Italy), after the church had been used without authorization to film a commercial advertisement that was later shared on social media.
The diocese formally considered the incident a «profanation of the sacred place» and suspended liturgical celebrations until the corresponding reparation was carried out. The rite, celebrated this morning at 10:30 and presided over by Msgr. Suetta, has allowed the church to be restored to worship.
A commercial filmed without authorization
The case began after a commercial advertisement appeared on social media featuring footage recorded inside the Church of the Holy Guardian Angels, located in Grimaldi, a town in Ventimiglia near the border between Italy and France.
The filming had been carried out without requesting authorization from the parish or the diocese. According to the reconstruction provided by the ecclesiastical authority, those responsible had taken advantage of the church’s regular opening hours to access the building and use it as the setting for the advertisement.
Msgr. Suetta clarified that the parish priest was unaware of the incident and had not granted any permission to use the church for commercial purposes. Upon learning of the events, the Curia also intervened to have the advertisement removed from the social media profiles where it had been published.
The diocese confirmed the profanation of the church
After examining the circumstances of the filming, the diocese determined that the incident could not be limited to a simple unauthorized use of the building.
«Following an episode involving the improper, illegitimate, and unauthorized use by third parties of the church for commercial purposes to film an advertisement distributed on social media, the competent diocesan authority has formally confirmed that the elements of profanation of the sacred place are present,» the diocese explained.
The decision had an immediate consequence: liturgical celebrations in the church were suspended until the corresponding penitential rite was performed.
Canon 1211 of the Code of Canon Law states that sacred places are profaned when gravely injurious actions are carried out in them, causing scandal to the faithful, and which, in the judgment of the local ordinary, are of such gravity that it is not lawful to celebrate worship there until the injury has been repaired through the penitential rite provided for in the liturgical books.
Msgr. Suetta restores the church to worship
With the ceremony held this morning, the Church of the Holy Guardian Angels has been able to resume its regular liturgical activity once the profanation was canonically repaired.
The diocese’s actions, however, will not end in the ecclesiastical sphere. The Curia has also announced the filing of a complaint with the competent authorities to clarify the circumstances under which access to the church occurred and to determine responsibility for its unauthorized use.