Police arrest Catholics protesting Reformation event in Belgium

Belgian police arrested a group of youths who were praying the rosary to protest a service celebrating the Protestant Reformation at a Catholic cathedral in Brussels.

Pastor Steven Fuite, president of the United Protestant Church of Belgium (UPCB), was leading the ecumenical service held at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula when a group of 10 men and one woman disrupted the ceremony.

The group knelt together on the floor behind a row of pews, locked arms, and began to pray the rosary out loud, preventing Fuite from beginning the sermon.

A video of the incident showed that a few middle-aged folks tried to prevent the group from praying by talking to them and nudging them. The organist played and the choir sang to pass the time and drown out the prayers until the police arrived.

The police eventually led the protesters away and placed them under administrative arrest, allowing the service to proceed.

The UPCB was hosting the event at the cathedral to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the day when Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of Wittenberg Castle, an action that led to the monk's eventual schism from the Catholic Church.

Prior to the arrest, the protesters had distributed flyers denouncing the service as a "profanation."

"Our cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is a Catholic edifice built by our fathers to be the House of God, for the celebration of the holy Mass, for the praise of God and of the saints. The occupation of our cathedral by the Protestants to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reform is therefore a profanation," the flyer read, as reported by Life Site News.

The protesters contended that the Protestant Reformation was really a "revolt" on the pretext of combating against the abuses of the Catholic Church.

They argued that Luther had denied many of the Church's teachings, including the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments, as well as the "necessity of good works and the practice of Christian virtues."

"This terrible revolution was a great drama for Christian society and for the salvation of souls. And the Lutheran errors are still heresies today because the Truth is eternal," the flyer continued.

Life Site News noted that the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula was the subject of attacks in the 16th century when Protestants entered the building to break its stained glass windows and steal the relics of the saints.

During the service, a collection was reportedly made to raise money for two Protestant organizations.

In his sermon, Fuite emphasized the importance of respecting differences. "Our unity essentially derives from respecting differences. Without the other who is different, who thinks otherwise, who does otherwise, I do not exist, I am nothing. Differences are an inherent part of unity," he said.