Madrid, Spain - A Spanish parish church defied Cardinal's order that it close for holding liturgical and communion rites too different from the norm, and opened its doors Sunday to celebrate Easter.
The parish of San Carlos Borromeo, in Madrid's mainly working-class Vallecas district, was ordered Monday to close by the archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela.
The parish's three resident priests had angered Spain's conservative religious hierarchy by holding Mass while dressed in casual clothes and handing out cookies during the sacrament of holy communion.
A congregation of around 250 people crammed into the small, one-room church illuminated by low-cost strip lighting in its low, acoustic tile ceiling. Another 200 people who could not fit — including actors, local celebrities and reporters — spilled out onto the street.
The church is a popular gathering place for poor people, former prisoners, recovering drug addicts and immigrants who have found it difficult to integrate into Spanish society.
Placards reading "Solidarity with the parish of San Carlos Borromeo" and "The hierarchy can close premises but not a church" were hung outside while Easter Mass was said.
Priest Enrique de Castro had said he and his colleagues stopped wearing dour habits for Mass because some parishioners had asked them to look more normal.
The idea to distribute donut-like cookies instead of unleavened bread hosts during communion had evolved because mothers had said their children tried to shun the ceremony because they could not understand it.
Rouco Varela's office said the reason for closure was that the premises were needed to complete a long-standing development plan by a Catholic charity.
The Cardinal's office said the priests would not be evicted and could continue with social work, but were to stop saying Mass.