'Phallic' Art Sparks Fight Ahead Of Pope's Visit To Malta (PHOTOS)

Colonna Mediterranea, a monument near a major airport in Malta, is facing removal before the Pope's visit to the country this weekend, after the local mayor worried it may be too "phallic."

Mayor John Schembri described the sculpture as "obscene" and "embarrassing," and it should be removed "as a sign of respect" for Pope Benedict XVI, he said.

The sculpture, created by artist Paul Vella Critien, has been on show in the town of Luqa since 2006. It sits at the entrance to the town, near the planned route for the Pope's visit. It is said to represent a symbol dating back to ancient Egypt.

Critien was unrepentant about the statue, calling his critics "ignorant" and "uneducated."

Others have shown their support for the work of art. A Facebook group called 'Save the Z--- Monument' has been set up, with other 1,300 members at the time of writing.

The groups creator is candid in his support of the monument. "Look: I don't like having a massive erect penis slap bang outside our airport either... but everybody accepted it until the Pope decided to pay us a visit," writes Raphael Vassallo in the group's description.

"If it's good enough for the LIDL [a European supermarket chain] roundabout then it's good enough for Pope Benedict XVI."

Comments

[Gregorius Mercator]

12:31 PM on 04/22/2010

I wasn't aware "Zobb" was a slang word for penis until you censored it.

Thank you, HuffPo. My vocabulary is that much richer.

[Blixa]

02:10 PM on 04/17/2010

In the interest of being through, here's how it turned out. One meme is all that's necessary to tell the story.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5510204&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=104838149557315&aid=-1&id=563378031

[3Ravens]

08:25 PM on 04/15/2010

Ban the bananas.

[hottpotat0]

03:02 PM on 04/15/2010

wow a P-E-N-I-$

[thromulese]

01:00 PM on 04/15/2010

"as a sign of respect" for Pope Benedict XVI”

Quick. Hide the children.

[DrJimmy]

12:18 PM on 04/15/2010

The POPE would just stand there for hours and wonder.... Oh God how do I get on top of that?!?!?

[Garspies]

11:53 AM on 04/15/2010

What a dick!

[Oochimagoochi]

12:01 PM on 04/15/2010

Silly.

[Garspies]

12:30 PM on 04/15/2010

The whole thing is silly. The most inane part is how anyone would care about offending the pope.

[leenda300]

11:48 AM on 04/15/2010

ya dont hear of people saying certain flower parts resemble female parts. So...are body parts dirty.? frankly weve all seen ice cream cones in that shape...just lighten up..."dirty" minds are small and sick....making a fuss of a phallic looking sculpture is not only narrow-minded but it focusses all too much on the male organ

[floodberg]

11:54 PM on 04/14/2010

So, we're all real sure that Mt. Etna really did explode, right? No chance someone made a mistake? Looks like it's almost there...

[hubbahubba77]

08:36 AM on 04/15/2010

lol ;)

[Jasel]

08:45 PM on 04/14/2010

Pope Benedict XVI is what's obscene and embarrassing.

[hubbahubba77]

08:36 AM on 04/15/2010

Amen!

[ElCojonuAgain]

08:17 PM on 04/14/2010

Wouldn't be funny if they left it there and someone in the Pope's entourage ( or even the Pope himself ) were to walk up to it and start touching it .
I'd pay to see that.

[Rik]

07:50 PM on 04/14/2010

This silly monument always puts a little smile on my face when I drive past it.
What other monument do you know that does that for you?

Also, I'm loving how the Pedobears and this are dominating the local conversation regarding the Pope's visit. Turning it into a joke but at the same time acting a lead in to more serious conversations.

This "most catholic country" is changing at a faster rate then anyone expected.

In the mean time check out the "SAVE THE ZOBB MONUMENT!" (zobb is Maltese slang for penis btw) facebook group, 4813 members and counting:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=104838149557315&ref=ts

Greetings from sunny Malta!

[deevee]

05:44 PM on 04/14/2010

The Pope and his entourage simply should ignore it and make believe it's not right in front of their faces. Then they should blame the sculptor, you know, kind of what they're doing NOW.

[jws2346]

03:47 PM on 04/14/2010

Wo'ah! A blue penie.

[hubbahubba77]

08:37 AM on 04/15/2010

Awww,,, Cute.

[Steamboater]

02:34 PM on 04/14/2010

Size does matter and to the vatican. That huge c*ck wouldn't be so offensive if it were the size of a smal boy's c*ck.