Vatican taking legal action over Benetton’s Pope kiss ad
(November 18, 2011) The Holy See has decided to take legal action against an advertisement
depicting Pope Benedict XVI kissing an imam in the mouth. In as statement the Vatican
said on Thursday it would take legal action to stop the distribution of the photo
montage by the Italian fashion firm Benetton saying it has told its lawyers in Italy
and around the world to "take the proper legal measures" to stop the use of the photo,
even in the media. The statement said the ad was "damaging to not only to dignity
of the pope and the Catholic Church but also to the feelings of believers." Benetton
said on Wednesday night that it was withdrawing the advertisement, part of the firm's
latest shock campaign, in which a number of world leaders are seen kissing each other
on the mouth in photo montages. The withdrawal came after the Holy See’s spokesman,
Fr. Federico Lombardi issued an initial protest Wednesday night which called the use
of the unauthorised and "manipulative" use of the pope's picture in the photo montage
totally unacceptable. Benetton said the purpose of its campaign was "exclusively
to fight the culture of hate in every form" but said it had nonetheless decided to
withdraw the image. The photo montage of the Pope was widely available on the internet
as of Thursday morning. "We are sorry that the use of an image of the pontiff and
the imam should have offended the sensibilities of the faithful in this way," the
clothing company said in a statement.