Is Christ too “feminine” and “sexualized”? In Spain, an official poster used in Holy Week celebrations in Seville has sparked anger in ultra-conservative circles, which are calling for it to be removed, saying it is “offensive” to Catholics, AFP reports.

This poster, unveiled on Saturday by Sevillian artist Salustiano García, depicts the resurrected Jesus draped across the body in a white shroud.

It represents the “bright side of Holy Week” in the “specific style of this prestigious artist”, the organization that unites the confraternities of Seville that will take part in the processions that take place every year from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, the statement underlined.

The poster, intended to be distributed across the city, has sparked controversy on social media, with many netizens and the Catholic Association condemning what they see as a “sexualised” character.

The poster is a “disgrace and rejection”, says the anti-abortion organisation

The poster is “a real disgrace and a disgrace”, condemned the Institute for Social Policy (IPSE), an anti-abortion “Christian symbols” organisation.

She considers this Christ to be “feminine” and demands that it be removed, and that the artist make a public apology for this “offensive” image, which does not correspond to the spirit of Holy Week.

This criticism was reposted by the leader of the Vox (extreme right) party in Seville, Javier Navarro, who condemned X as a “provocative poster”.

According to News.ro, it does not meet the “purpose for which it was conceived”, namely “encouraging the pious participation of the faithful”.

A petition, signed by more than 10,000 people on Monday, was launched on the website Change.org calling for the “tradition” and “religious fervor” of Seville to be protected from the work.

The artist accuses the painting of politicization

This reaction was condemned by the author of the poster, who says that he is “surprised” by these attacks and assures in an interview given to Sonservator daily ABC newspaper that he painted this “beautiful” and “elegant” work in an effort to “deeply respect” the believers.

“To see the sexuality in my Christ, you have to be sick,” says the 52-year-old artist, who mentions that Jesus was often depicted naked in classical art.

“People who spoke badly about my work (…) need a bit of artistic culture,” he quipped.

Salustiano García, whose work is exhibited in galleries around the world, said that he took his son as the model for this poster.

“We both laughed when we discovered this controversy and are very surprised by the politicization of the painting,” he added.

Spain’s ruling Socialists defended the poster, condemning the “homophobic and hateful” nature of the attacks, according to Andalucía’s Socialist leader Juan Espadas, who defended the mix of “tradition and modernity” that characterizes the region, a former bastion of the left.

Spain, which decriminalized homosexuality in 1978, 30 years after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, has since become one of the most open countries in the world to LGBT+ communities and legalized same-sex marriage in 2005 and same-sex adoption.

Holy Week processions, which commemorate the Passion, death and Resurrection of Christ, occupy an important place in Spain, a country with a strong Catholic tradition, especially in Seville, which is considered the “capital” of these religious processions.