A Manila court has acquitted Filipino drag artist Amadeus Fernando Pagente, better known as Pura Luka Vega, in a high-profile case involving his performance of the “Our Father” at a party that later went viral online.
Pagente’s performance drew widespread criticism not only because he danced provocatively while singing the Our Father, but also because he was dressed as the Black Nazarene – a dark-skinned image of Jesus venerated by millions of devotees during the annual 9 January procession.
Offending religion is a criminal offence in the Philippines, a Catholic-majority country where 66 per cent of the country regularly attends Holy Mass and 80 per cent identify as Catholic.
