A New York priest who allowed American singer Sabrina Carpenter to shoot a music video in his church has been accused of mismanagement and removed from his post.
This is reported by the BBC.
Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello has been relieved of "any pastoral oversight or leadership role" in the church.
In the clip there are scenes of crucifixion, cursing, and the artist herself dances on the altar in a short black dress. This "stunned" the diocese.
Church officials launched an investigation after the October 2023 music video for Sabrina Carpenterʼs song Feather, filmed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, was released. The investigation also found "evidence of serious violations of diocesan policies and protocols," including unauthorized financial transfers.
Gigantielloʼs administrative authority was revoked in November of last year, shortly after Carpenterʼs music video was criticized. He was also forbidden to collect money for the development of the diocese, because it turned out that he was spending it on personal needs.
According to Bishop Brennan, between 2019 and 2021, Gigantiello transferred nearly $2 million from his churchʼs funds to bank accounts associated with the former New York City Hall employee.
- There was also a similar incident in Ukraine — in October 2023, Serhiy Zhadan and Khrystyna Soloviy released a joint music video for the song "Heart", which was partially filmed in the Church of St. Andrew in Lviv. There are shots of women kissing, which caused a negative reaction from the church. Representatives of the parish of St. Andrew, Father Vasiliyana of the UGCC called on the musicians to remove the video, and the leadership of the St. Andrewʼs Church of the UGCC in Lviv was dismissed. Later, filming was banned in Lviv churches without the archbishopʼs permission.
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