Event in honor of Vladimir Herzog fills Sé Cathedral in SP

An inter-religious event in honor of Vladimir Herzog filled the Sé Cathedral, this Saturday (25), in the center of São Paulo. Family members, political authorities and members of civil society paid tribute on the 50th anniversary of the death of the journalist, a victim of the military dictatorship.

The event was a recreation of the inter-religious act that took place in 1975, and brought together more than 8,000 people in the same church for Herzog’s Seventh Mass.

At the time, the event was led by religious leaders such as Cardinal D. Paulo Evaristo Arns, Rabbi Henry Sobel and Reverend Jaime Wright, with the support of journalist Audálio Dantas, then president of the São Paulo Journalists Union.

This time, the ecumenical act was attended by the Archbishop of São Paulo, Dom Odilo Pedro Scherer, the Reverend Anita Wright — daughter of Jaime Wright, and Rabbi Rav Uri Lam.

The vice-president of the Republic and, at the moment, acting president, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), was also present at the event.

Alckmin stated that Herzog’s death was the result of state extremism, which instead of protecting citizens, persecuted and killed them.

On the other hand, the vice president did not take a position when asked whether or not he is in favor of a review of the 1979 Amnesty Law, one of the main demands of Herzog’s family members and others who died and disappeared during the regime.

Ivo Herzog, Vladimir Herzog’s eldest son, recalled the processing of ADPF 320 in the STF (Supreme Federal Court), which deals with the issue. The action has been under the report of Minister Dias Toffolli for more than eight years.

“We are not demanding that the amnesty law say this or that. We are just asking for the debate to be taken to the plenary. This has been denied to us”,
declared.