Art film showing a naked man rubbing himself against Christ on the crucifix prompts priest to take legal action against Polish culture ministry

Shocking film shows naked man licking and writhing on statue of Jesus

Work was displayed at the Warsaw Centre for Contemporary Art in Poland

Father Tadeusz Rydzyk says film was 'obscene' and waste of public money



Politician: 'This is an unprecedented insult to my religious feelings'

Artist defends his work as critique on the way people worship



A Polish priest has filed charges against the culture ministry after it backed a controversial art film showing a naked man rubbing his genitals against an image of Christ.

The shocking film - exhibited at the Warsaw Centre for Contemporary Art in Poland - shows a naked man writhing on and licking the statue of Jesus.

It has provoked a furious backlash from religious leaders and politicians.



Outrage: The film, which shows a naked man writhing on a statue of Jesus Christ, has provoked outrage

Father Tadeusz Rydzyk said that he had referred the artist, gallery and the Ministry that sponsored the event to prosecutors.

He said: 'We are filing a complaint against this pseudo-artist for insulting our God and against the Ministry of Culture for wasting public money on this obscenity.'

Artist Jacek Markiewicz’s work was selected as one of the best Polish artists to be allowed to exhibit at the 'British British Polish Polish' exhibition.

The idea of the exhibit was that it would alternate between the best British and the best Polish artists.

But artist Mr Markiewicz defended the short film as a critique on the way people worship.

Insult: Polish priest Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, pictured, reported the artist, galley exhibiting the short film and the Ministry of culture which sponsored the show to prosecutor for obscenity and wasting public money

He said: 'When I entered the church in Warsaw, and I saw people praying to a God-like sculpture, I was shocked.

'People were caressing the figure of Christ, touching his naked body, insulting him - and this struck me as a very bizarre way of worshipping God. So I created this film to show that in fact it is insulting to worship in such a way.'

But politicians have rounded on the artist, saying his work is a form of desecration.

Miroslaw Orzechowski from the country’s League of Polish Families said: 'This is an unprecedented insult to my religious feelings.

'It's an insult to the holy object of Christ and the image of the crucifix - an image of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. It is deplorable.'

MP Andrzej Jaworski from the right-wing Law and Justice party said: 'When I saw this I was completely disgusted.

'That such a thing is happening in 21st Century Poland cannot be ignored.

'I am insulted as a Catholic and clearly this so-called artist has a messed up sex life.'

Curator of the gallery Piotr Rypson said: 'The museum directorate are not in the habit of commenting on exhibits.