GRANADA – The archbishop of Seville, Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, expressed "surprise" Tuesday at a judge’s decision to fine the archbishop of Granada, Francisco Javier Martínez, EUR 3,750 for insulting and coercing a priest.

"I did not expect it to come to this. It is most unpleasant," Amigo told reporters.

On Monday, Martínez was convicted of insulting and coercing a priest in an attempt to prevent him from publishing a book about Granada cathedral. The book had been sponsored by the Cajasur savings bank, with whose president Martínez had had disagreements while bishop of Córdoba. Martínez docked the salary of the bishop working on the book and repeatedly insulted him and demanded he stop his work.

The case marked the first time an archbishop had been put on trial and convicted in Spain.

[Copyright EL PAÍS, SL. 2007]

Subject: Spanish news