Bishop Opposed To Marriage Equality Saddened By 'Gay Nativity' Scene With Two Josephs

A Roman Catholic bishop opposed to marriage equality on Tuesday lamented a “gay Nativity” scene with two Josephs wearing pink robes.

A photo of the Nativity scene went viral on social media after being shared by a neighbor.

“Our neighbors' two Joseph nativity is up & I'm beaming,” wrote California's Cameron Esposito in sharing the scene on Twitter.

In a Facebook post, Rev. Thomas Tobin, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Providence, called the Nativity an “attack on the Christian Faith.”

“A Gay Nativity?” Tobin wrote. “Just came across this photo of a ‘gay nativity’ scene – two Josephs dressed in pink watching over the Christ Child. How sad that someone believes it’s okay (or funny or cool) to impose their own agenda on the holy Birth of Jesus. Pray for those who did so, for their change of heart, and that Jesus will forgive this sacrilege, this attack on the Christian Faith.”

After passage in 2011 of a Rhode Island bill that recognized gay and lesbian couples with civil unions, Tobin said that such unions “mock” the institution of marriage and pose “a threat to religious liberty.” He later called marriage equality “immoral and unnecessary.”

Last year, Tobin fired a music director over his 2015 marriage to another man.

(Related: Rhode Island Catholic Church fires gay music director.)