Bizarre cock-up of Catholic school’s statue sparks apology (IMAGES)

A jaw-dropping design oversight has forced a Catholic school in Australia to cover up a statue erected in honor of a medieval saint.

Officials at Blackfriars Priory in Adelaide, South Australia, spotted the blunder after the unveiling of its depiction of St Martin de Porres giving a child a loaf of bread. However, when students began to take pictures of the monument’s questionable bread placement, the school promptly covered the statue and issued an apology.

Writing in a statement on the school’s Facebook page, principal Simon Cobiac said the statue had been approved based on two-dimensional concept drawings. It was only after the finished piece arrived that it was deemed “potentially suggestive” by the school’s executive committee.

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“As a consequence, the statue was immediately covered and a local sculptor has been commissioned to redesign it,” the statement reads. “The school apologizes for any concerns and publicity generated by this matter and is taking action to substantially alter the statue."

The first image of the statue was posted on the Instagram page ‘S***Adelaide’ and quickly attracted thousands of likes and comments from users questioning the design. The latest update on the page shows the area around the statue cordoned off with black tarpaulin.

Blackfriars Priory is a school catering for boys from kindergarten to Year 12. St Martin de Porres Velazquez was a lay brother of the Dominican Order known for helping the poor through the establishment of orphanages and a children’s hospital in his native Peru during the 16th century.