The Colombian Episcopal Conference urges respect for faith after President Petro’s comments on Jesus and Mary Magdalene spark outcry.
Newsroom (29/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Colombian Episcopal Conference (CEC) has issued a strong statement defending the sanctity of Christian belief following controversial remarks by President Gustavo Petro regarding Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. The declaration, released on Tuesday under the code COM-CEC-040/26, reaffirmed the Church’s faith in Jesus as the only Son of God and demanded respect for the convictions of millions of Colombian Catholics.
The bishops’ reaction came after the president’s comments during the reopening of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Bogotá on January 27. In his speech, Petro suggested that “Jesus made love, perhaps with Mary Magdalene,” arguing that “a man like that could not exist without love.” He went on to say that women supported Jesus “until the very end” and that he “didn’t die like Bolívar, but surrounded by the women who loved him.”
For the country’s ecclesiastical leadership, those statements went beyond speculation to the point of blasphemy. The Church warned that such pronouncements risk distorting the image of Jesus Christ by reducing him to a mere historical or moral figure. “For those of us who follow the teachings of the Son of God… his name is Holy,” the CEC wrote, stressing that Christ demands “the respect and adoration with which the True God is treated.”
“Jesus Christ Is True God and True Man”
The Episcopal Conference reaffirmed that Jesus Christ is “the only Son of God, true God and true man, the center of our faith and hope.” The prelates rejected interpretations that frame Christ solely within historical or secular terms. They underlined that Christian faith “is founded on the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ, as testified by Sacred Scripture and the living Tradition of the Church.”
In distancing faith from political rhetoric, the bishops emphasized that secularism does not authorize state officials to issue theological opinions. “The secular nature of the State does not imply delegitimizing religious beliefs,” the statement declared. “No official or other person is authorized to issue theological opinions on the religious or doctrinal convictions of citizens.”
Constitutional Protection for Religious Convictions
The bishops grounded their appeal in Colombia’s constitutional framework. Citing the 1991 Political Constitution, Constitutional Court Ruling C‑817 of 2011, and Article 4 of Law 133 of 1994 on Religious Freedom and Worship, the prelates reminded that the State must guarantee the free exercise of faith. “The secular nature of the State,” they clarified, “means ensuring the freedom of all to profess and live their convictions without discrimination.”
This legal foundation, they said, ensures the balance between religious pluralism and state neutrality. The bishops urged mutual respect, affirming that the State’s obligation is not to intrude on matters of faith, but to protect citizens’ rights to practice and express their religion.
A Call to Deepen Faith and Avoid Superficial Interpretations
Beyond addressing the president’s comments, the Episcopal Conference used the occasion to call for greater theological literacy. Citing Scripture and the Catechism, the bishops encouraged Catholics to “consult the objective sources of the Gospels” to understand Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior rather than as a subject of speculative discourse. The goal, they said, is to counter misinformation and promote a deeper comprehension of the faith’s doctrinal foundations.
Respect and Coexistence as a Democratic Imperative
In the final section of their statement, the bishops reaffirmed the Church’s respect for institutions and its commitment to peace. “Always respectful of Colombian institutions and laws, we have taught respect for legitimately constituted authorities and the pursuit of peace,” they wrote. The plea concluded with a call for reciprocity: that the State, too, respect the faith and the right of believers to live and teach their religion freely.
The CEC’s message resonates beyond theological boundaries. It positions religious respect as an element of democratic coexistence, reminding that in a pluralistic society, faith and State must engage in dialogue—not in provocation. In underscoring that harmony, the Church reaffirms a principle it deems essential for Colombia’s civic and spiritual balance: that faith, like freedom, is not a privilege but a right.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Infocatholica
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