A bishop from Italy has been forced to apologize to young children for stating that Santa Claus does not exist, just days before Christmas.
According to local media reports, the bishop was identified as Antonio Stagliano who managed to not only hurt many people’s feelings and sentiments but also cause fury and outrage amongst parents as well.
The bishop was caught red-handed as he spoke to a group of kids about how Santa Claus does not exist and how the only reason he wears a red coat is that he gets paid for adverts by a brand like Coca-Cola.
Hearing the news sparked a major debate, with many forcing the Catholic Bishop to apologize as they felt it was unacceptable to showcase such behavior.
The bishop who hails from Sicily did apologize for his actions but also commented on how he never meant to dash anyone’s dreams, especially those belonging to youngsters, just ahead of the Christmas season.
Meanwhile, the Communications Director, Rev. Alessandro Paolino posted on the bishop’s social media page that he was actually trying to underline the true meaning of Christmas as well as the story of Saint Nicholas, who happened to be a bishop that allotted gifts to the needy and poor while being persecuted by a Roman Emperor.
Since then, it is going viral as this is certainly not something many people would expect from a bishop during a time that is filled with festivities and a holiday that many people consider to be the most joyful event of the year.
“I express my sorrow on behalf of the bishop for his declaration which has not only caused anger but a disappointment to so many little ones out there,” the public statement read. “His intentions were very different than what came out,” the director concluded on the bishop’s Facebook page.
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