"They literally want to abort Jesus off the face of the earth in every manifestation of His presence today."
The remark came from Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, in an interview with LifeSite News.
He was referring to a group of feminists who last week staged a "performance art" just outside the cathedral in Tucuman, northern Argentina where they depicted the make-believe abortion of Baby Jesus from the Virgin Mary as part of an International Women's Day protest. Abortion is illegal in Argentina unless the life of the mother is threatened by pregnancy.
A photo of the event showed blood and baby parts gushing out from between the legs of the smiling "Virgin Mary" wearing a rosary around her neck and with her fist defiantly held up high while surrounded by pink mask-wearing feminists.
The photo was quickly shared thousands of times on social media amid condemnations from church and other religious leaders.
Pavone was among those who denounced the "grotesque and blasphemous act," which he said "represents what every abortion actually is."
The priest recalled what Pope St. John Paul II once wrote that "every attack on a human life is an attack on God and every rejection of a human life is a rejection of Christ himself."
The blasphemy that happened in Tucuman wasn't the only assault on Christian targets that day.
In the southern Argentine city of Bahia Blanca, the cathedral was painted with pro-abortion and anti-church remarks, Crux reported.
In the capital Buenos Aires, a group of women tried to force their way into the city cathedral, which is the former home of Pope Francis.
Protesters lit a bonfire in front of the cathedral, chanting "The only church that illuminates is one that is burning."
A young man holding a Vatican flag who was defending the church was attacked by the protesters who earlier that day participated in the so-called Women's March in defence of what they perceive to be women's rights.
"I believe more of this persecution will occur the more the Church stands against the sin of pre-born child killing," warned Father Stephen Imbarrato, a priest associate at Priests for Life.
