- The Washington Times - Thursday, April 25, 2013

The head of the Catholic Church in Belgium kept his head bowed calmly in prayer as topless female activists hurled insults and doused him with water Tuesday at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels.

Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels was participating in a debate on blasphemy laws when four women, representing the feminist group FEMEN, took to the stage, where they stripped naked to reveal painted slogans such as “My body my rules” on their bare chests and backs, LifeSiteNews reports.

The women doused the archbishop with water from bottles shaped like the Virgin Mary, and he sat drenched with water with his eyes closed in prayer. After the ordeal was over, the archbishop then kissed the image of the Virgin Mary on one of the water bottles, LifeSiteNews reports.

“He was very calm and maintained a position of prayer. I have to believe he was praying for us,” one observer told Le Soir.

According to FEMEN, Tuesday’s attack was spurred by an interview in which Archbishop Leonard suggested celibacy for all single persons, including homosexuals.

• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.

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