Monks Evicted After Lap Dancing Concert – Was Berlusconi Invited?
20 monks have been evicted from a monastery by Pope Benedict XVI. Their lifestyles were said to be more playboy than monk – and they were also heavily in debt!
The monastery of Santa Croce in Rome has existed for 500 years but today it stands empty and quiet. The Catholic Church acted quickly following reports that the monks were enjoying lifestyles way beyond the call of their holy orders.
The church is highly sensitive about its image following many claims of sexual abuse involving priests. Now the Vatican has stepped in and moved the monks into other monasteries. The most colourful stories circulating in Rome centred around a lap dancer who became a nun – and a certain VIP guest.
A visit from Madonna
The monastery had attracted a cult following while Abbot Simone Fioraso was in charge. He had become popular with showbiz stars, Rome aristocracy and high profile worshippers like Madonna who visited and prayed in the church in 2008.
The lap dancer turned nun is Anna Nobili who performed what she called her Holy Dance before an invited audience including the head of the Vatican’s cultural department, Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi. The Abbot was sacked not long afterwards and now Roman society is having to rethink its support for the monastery.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
Another activity judged to be inappropriate was the hotel the monks opened at the monastery where worshippers were encouraged to stay. The hotel also offered a 24 hour limousine service to Rome airport.
In spite of their commercial activities the monks were alleged to have run up large debts and the lap dancing episode was probably the final blow for the monks.
At this point it is not known if Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is said to enjoy lap dancing performances, has been a VIP guest at the monastery.
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