Orthodox Christians demand that Cyprus remove “demonic” song from Eurovision

Cyprus. Dozens of faithful Orthodox Christians with wooden crosses chanted religious hymns in front of the Cypriot state broadcaster on Saturday to demand that the country withdraw its candidate, the song “The Devil”, from the Eurovision Song Contest because they say it promotes worship. of demons.

Some protesters, including entire families, raised placards with Greek captions, “Protest peacefully, not the Devil,” “Repent and return to Christ,” and “Christ saves, Devil kills.”

The station and the singer of the song say that it has been misinterpreted and that it is an abusive relationship in a couple.

The powerful Orthodox Church called for the song to be removed because it mocks the country’s moral foundations by advocating for “surrendering to the devil and promoting his worship.”

The church’s supreme body, the Holy Synod, said in a statement that the song “essentially praises the fatalistic submission of human beings to the authority of the devil” and urged the state broadcaster to replace it with a that it “express our history, culture, traditions and claims.”

The state broadcaster maintained that it will not withdraw the song from the contest. The chairman of the board, Andreas Frangos, He acknowledged that the message of the song, which says in one of his verses, “I gave my heart to the devil … because he tells me I am his angel,” should have been better explained.

For its part, the government said it respects all points of view, but cannot repress freedom of expression.

The performer of the song, the Greek artist Elena Tsagrinou, She said she is a woman who cries out for help because she has fallen in love with a “bad boy” named “The Devil” who abuses her.

“The song conveys a strong message against abuse in all its forms,” Tsagrinou said in a statement to AP. “In these times of the ‘Me Too Movement’, this message is extremely relevant and can be heard not only in Cyprus but throughout Europe and beyond.”

She added that she is a Christian and that her faith is very important to her.