‘Shattered Souls’ art installation shines light on Catholic church scandals

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TOPSHOT – A visitor looks at the art installation ‘Shattered Souls … in a Sea of Silence’ by German artist Dennis Josef Meseg in front of Cologne Cathedral, western Germany on August 4, 2023. With his installation, the artist wants to make the public aware of the desperate, silent cry of abused children for justice for their maltreated souls. 333 small mannequins, draped in the colours of innocence and the Curia, will be displayed until August 6 on the occasion of World Youth Day in front of the Cathedral. More than half a million people in Germany left the Catholic Church in 2022, the country’s bishops’ conference had announced in June, topping a record set in 2021 amid rampant sexual abuse scandals. Germany’s Catholic Church has been rocked by a long series of allegations of predatory priests abusing children and youths in their congregations. (Photo by Bernd Lauter / AFP)

Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany : This photo taken on August 4, 2023 shows the art installation ‘Shattered Souls … in a Sea of Silence’ by German artist Dennis Josef Meseg in front of Cologne Cathedral, western Germany.

With his installation, the artist wants to make the public aware of the desperate, silent cry of abused children for justice for their maltreated souls. 333 small mannequins, draped in the colours of innocence and the Curia, will be displayed until August 6 on the occasion of World Youth Day in front of the Cathedral.

More than half a million people in Germany left the Catholic Church in 2022, the country’s bishops’ conference had announced in June, topping a record set in 2021 amid rampant sexual abuse scandals.

Germany’s Catholic Church has been rocked by a long series of allegations of predatory priests abusing children and youths in their congregations.

© Agence France-Presse