MANILA, May 5, 2008—The head of Manila’s Roman Catholic Church forbids gay version of “Santacruzan” flower festival held across the country every May in honor of the Virgin Mary.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said having homosexuals dress up as female saints during processions is “horrendous” and “defeats the real purpose” of the procession.

"Gays should not be allowed to participate in Santacruzan since it defeats the true meaning of the celebration," Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales told the church-run Radio Veritas on Monday.

He said Catholic devotees should keep religious festivals sacred and solemn at all times.

“I am not angry at gay men. But, I am against what they're actually doing," said Cardinal Rosales. “We should keep sacred what is sacred.”

In the past, Cardinal Rosales said he refused to give blessing to any parish that allows gays to join the Santacruzan procession.

He recalled once occasion where he called the attention of one parish after it allowed gays to participate in a supposed to be a religious activity.

"I told them that's not right because that's procession," he said. "You are destroying the purity of the devotion."

“That's horrendous. That's an insult to the Blessed Mother,” he added. (Roy Lagarde)