An actor who has played Jesus in traditional Spanish Easter parades for 30 years says he has been banned from the role for at least two years once the authorities found out that he is gay.
Whereas Junta Mayor de Semana Santa Marinera, body that governs the brotherhoods in Valencia -which organise the Holy Week celebrations, charged Mr Fossati of “ostentation and parody” and appearing to give “false blessings” to the crowd, Mr Fossati says he was not given a reason for the ban but that he suspected it was because he is gay.
The Times report that Ramón Fossati says he was told he could not perform the role in the traditional parade to mark Easter Sunday until 2019 because he exposed a naked shoulder and waved his arms in an “ostentatious” way last year.
Mr Fossati said he was merely waving to the crowd and that his costume had been modeled on traditional religious paintings which showed Jesus bare shouldered.
He had modified it so it only had bare one shoulder because he feared exposing both would be considered too risque.
He said: “It could be jealousy. Or maybe it was punishment for being gay. But everyone where I live knows my sexual orientation and it is not an issue.
“I am deeply religious and this is the worst thing that could happen,” he further stated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu5ITn_dXn0
Photo – Ramon Fossati, who has played Jesus in traditional Spanish Easter parades for 30 years, has been banned for being ‘too ostentatious’ when he performed the role last year (NP photo)
