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Vatican Raises Hell Over Short Skirts

Tourists aghast at 'hypocritical' action

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 29, 2010 1:47 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Vatican's Swiss Guards' strenuous crackdown on "immodest" dress in the wake of a host of shocking pedophile scandals against Catholic clerics has left tourists aghast. The flamboyantly clothed guards, in puffy gold-and-blue-striped uniforms and plumed head coverings, are pulling aside women in sleeveless tops or short skirts and men in shorts to tell them they're not dressed properly. Tourists have long been expected to dress modestly in St. Peter's Basilica, but the stricter dress code seems to have been extended suddenly throughout Vatican City.

The strictures also include Romans using the Vatican pharmacy, supermarket and post office, reports the Telegraph. "Given all the scandals the church has been involved in, what possible right can it have to be preaching about the morality of sleeveless dresses?" asked one outraged woman in her 70s.

This offends Vatican sensibilities.
This offends Vatican sensibilities.   (?pizzodisevo)
Pope Benedict XVI and a Swiss Guard: experts on how to dress.
Pope Benedict XVI and a Swiss Guard: experts on how to dress.   (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Benedict XVI is saluted by a Swiss guard at the end of a session of prayer and reflection with the College of Cardinals, at the Vatican Friday Nov. 23, 2007. Cardinals from around the world have arrived in Rome for a ceremony Saturday to elevate 23 new churchmen to...
Pope Benedict XVI is saluted by a Swiss guard at the end of a session of prayer and reflection with the College of Cardinals, at the Vatican Friday Nov. 23, 2007. Cardinals from around the world have...   (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 60 comments
Count-Spatula
Jul 30, 2010 5:24 AM CDT
God hates short skirts more than he hates hundreds of thousands of child molestors and the cult that lies to keep them out of prison? I wouldn't have been able to reach such a 'moral' conclusion without you, Catholic church!
rickson
Jul 29, 2010 1:44 PM CDT
They got caught doing bad things to little kids and now he is venting his anger by doing sh*t like this.
JonmarkP
Jul 29, 2010 11:26 AM CDT
I think the Pope and his priests should be able to wear their skirts as short as they want. He is, after all, infuckingfallible!

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