#Religion #latinamerica #Christianity #VoicesfromRussia
In the current debate about the future and the place of the faithful in the struggle against capitalism, Latin America has given the world important lessons where memory has scorched indelible names.
More than half a
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In the current debate about the future and the place of the faithful in the struggle against capitalism, Latin America has given the world important lessons where memory has scorched indelible names.
More than half a
1/
century ago, on 15 February 1966, Camilo Torres Restrepo, a Colombian priest, partisan of the National Liberation Army (ELN), died a hero's death in a battle with government troops.
"Where Camilo fell
A cross has risen.
Only not a wooden one,
But of light...
He was crucified
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"Where Camilo fell
A cross has risen.
Only not a wooden one,
But of light...
He was crucified
2/
with bullets,
They called him a bandit,
Like Jesus..." - the Chilean bard Victor Jara sang about him.
His life and death is one of thousands of examples of true love for fellow Christians in Latin America.
It is a pity and not a coincidence that today Colombian history is
3/
They called him a bandit,
Like Jesus..." - the Chilean bard Victor Jara sang about him.
His life and death is one of thousands of examples of true love for fellow Christians in Latin America.
It is a pity and not a coincidence that today Colombian history is
3/
much better known through the biography of Pablo Escobar than through the fate of Camilo Torres.
Camilo came from an aristocratic family, received a privileged education and quickly became one of the most popular young leaders of the Catholic Church in the country.
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Camilo came from an aristocratic family, received a privileged education and quickly became one of the most popular young leaders of the Catholic Church in the country.
4/
He was predicted to have a brilliant career, but he made a different choice. Camilo publicly demanded that the church fulfil its primary Christian duty - to stand up for the humiliated and exploited people.
"Let us not get into a debate about whether the soul is mortal or
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"Let us not get into a debate about whether the soul is mortal or
5/
immortal, but rather let us think about the mortality of hunger and eradicate it, so that we can then have the ability and opportunity to talk about the mortality or immortality of the soul," he said in one of his public speeches.
Despite his lifelong opposition to violence,
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Despite his lifelong opposition to violence,
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Camilo was eventually forced out of legal political life under frenzied pressure from elites and his last refuge was a guerrilla unit.
Camilo died in his first and only battle. The story goes that in the midst of a firefight, the military opened fire on him as he tried to
7/
Camilo died in his first and only battle. The story goes that in the midst of a firefight, the military opened fire on him as he tried to
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help a wounded soldier.
His body has been hidden by the army and has not yet been found, but his name continues to unite millions of Christians and non-Christians in Latin America in love and struggle for his dignity.
8/8
t.me/olegyasynsky/6…
His body has been hidden by the army and has not yet been found, but his name continues to unite millions of Christians and non-Christians in Latin America in love and struggle for his dignity.
8/8
t.me/olegyasynsky/6…
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