NICOSIA, Cyprus 鈥� Dozens of Orthodox Christian faithful held up wooden crosses and sang Church hymns outside of Cyprus' state broadcaster on Saturday to demand the withdrawal of the country鈥檚 controversial entry for the Eurovision song contest 鈥� titled 鈥淓l Diablo鈥� 鈥� that they say promotes satanic worship.
Some of the protesters, including families, held up placards reading in Greek, 鈥淲e鈥檙e protesting peacefully, no to El Diablo,鈥� 鈥淩epent and return to Christ鈥� and 鈥淐hrist saves, Diablo kills.鈥�
The broadcaster and the singer of the song insist it has been misinterprested and the song is actually about an abusive relationship between two lovers.
The protest came several days after the powerful Orthodox Church called for the withdrawal of the song that it said mocked the country鈥檚 moral foundations by advocating 鈥渙ur surrender to the devil and promoting his worship.鈥�
The Holy Synod, the Church鈥檚 highest decision-making body, said in a statement that the song 鈥渆ssentially praises the fatalistic submission of humans to the devil鈥檚 authority鈥� and urged the state broadcaster to replace it with one that 鈥渆xpresses our history, culture, traditions and our claims.鈥�
Last week, police charged a man with uttering threats and causing a disturbance when he barged onto the grounds of the public broadcaster to protest what he condemned as a 鈥渂lasphemous鈥� song that was an affront to Christianity.
The state broadcaster insisted that the entry won鈥檛 be withdrawn, but its board chairman, Andreas Frangos, conceded that organizers should have done a better job explaining the core message of the song, whose lyrics include, 鈥淚 gave my heart to el diablo...because he tells me I鈥檓 his angel.鈥�
Even the Cypriot government waded into the controversy, with Presidential spokesman Viktoras Papadopoulos saying that although the views of dissenters are respected, the government cannot quash freedom of expression.
鈥淭he Government fully respects creative intellectual and artistic freedom that cannot be misinterpreted or limited because of a song鈥檚 title, and unnecessary dimensions should not be attributed,鈥� Papadopoulos said in a written statement.
The song鈥檚 performer, Greek artist Elena Tsagrinou, said that the song is about a woman who cries out for help after falling for a 鈥渂ad boy鈥� known as 鈥淓l Diablo鈥� and coming to identify and bond with her abuser. Tsagrinou insisted that any other interpretation is 鈥渦nfounded.鈥�
鈥淭he song sends a strong message, one against any form of abuse, such as the one conveyed in 鈥楨l Diablo,鈥欌�� Tsagrinou told The Associated Press in a written statement. 鈥淚n these 鈥楳e Too Movement鈥� times that message is extremely relevant and can be felt not only in Cyprus but also across Europe and beyond.鈥�
She added that she is a Christian and her faith was very important to her.
Addressing the song鈥檚 detractors, Tsagrinou said 鈥渨e must all embrace the true and intended message of the song鈥� and that people are now stepping forward with their own stories of abuse.
鈥淢usic unites and empowers. Let鈥檚 focus on that and the important issues around us and leave misinterpretations and dark thoughts behind,鈥� Tsagrinou said.
Menelaos Hadjicostis, The Associated Press
