Big Apple transgender activists are up in arms because a Catholic Church in New York City ended a funeral early for a deceased drag queen last week. Now, one group is demanding an apology from the cathedral.
The controversial casket closing ceremony took place at the iconic St. Patrick’s Church on 5th Avenue in NYC and was later condemned in a statement by its archdiocese, according to The New York Post. The funeral was for a late 52-year-old man who went by the name “Cecilia Gentili,” a high-profile LGBTQ+ activist and atheist sex worker.
Until the day of the funeral on Feb. 15, the staff at the historic church reportedly had “no idea” that the late Gentili was trans, per the official St. Patrick’s Cathedral statement penned by Rev. Enrique Salvo. The archdiocese dubbed the ceremony as “sacrilegious” in the statement and said it was organized in a “deceptive way.”
In turn, transgender activist Ceyenne Doroshow, founder and executive director of “G.L.I.T.S” (Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society), told NY 1 News that the church should issue an apology.
Doroshow, who reportedly helped organize the funeral, demanded the NYC church apologize “for the decades of degradation and hate you have put on our community” after the church held a Mass of Reparation following the drag queen’s funeral. (RELATED: GURR: Hispanic Americans Need Catholic Education — Protect It With School Choice)
“She does not deserve this. Her husband does not deserve this. Her family does not deserve this,” Doroshow continued, per NY 1.
During the organizational phase, the activist admitted to the New York Times that it was never disclosed to the church that Gentili was trans, per the Post.
During the funeral mass, Doroshow was caught on camera appearing to say “St. Patrick’s Cathedral is not having it. Here’s a little secret for all: They still don’t know she’s trans,” while speaking in the main chamber of the church, prompting attendees to exclaim aloud in applause.
One speaker mocked the Christian martyr St. Cecilia, referring to Gentili as “This whore. This great whore. St. Cecilia, Mother of all Whores!” in a eulogy.
WATCH:
🚨Anti-Catholic group of trans “activists” stage a mockery of the Christian faith INSIDE St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC:
The mob staged a supposed funeral service for Cecilia Gentili, a transgender, atheist prostitute during who they eulogized as: “This whore. This great whore.… pic.twitter.com/7w0wmifzkH
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) February 16, 2024
Other brow-raising elements that surrounded the service included the derogatory Spanish language term “puta” (which translates to “prostitute” in English) being adorned over an image of Gentili shown at the service. (RELATED: Two 12-Year-Old Kids Allegedly Try To Set Fire To Catholic Church, Burn A Bible In The Process)
Huge question: how did @CardinalDolan allow this to take place? pic.twitter.com/1WwRtIjwOb
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) February 16, 2024
In addition, the widely-attended memorial service was made up of many members of the LGBTQ+ community, with some sporting skimpy attire such as thongs and fishnets, Fox News reported.
Approximately 1,000 attendees reportedly flocked to the since-censured service.
The ceremony most likely marks the first-ever transgender funeral to ever take place at the cathedral, the Post reported.