IT seems a vigorous and noisy claque is agitating for a statue of Eoves to be placed, preferably, in Market Square. There is already a central feature, a tree, and a further embellishment is unnecessary, would restrict trading, and be exceedingly costly.

Eoves' notoriety rests on his version of 'the Virgin' in a dream. Anglo-Saxon England then, of course, was Catholic in religion and the Benedictines founded the abbey in memory of this 'miracle'.

The belief in 'the Virgin' was inculcated by the Church, a human institution. It had no foundation in Scripture, so after the Reformation, Protestants who regarded Scripture as divinely inspired, naturally rejected it, although regarding Mary with great reverence and respect as the mother of Jesus.

Why did the Protestants come to this conclusion? The gospel of Mark (6.3), which is echoed in the gospel of Matthew (13.55-6) states quite clearly that Jesus was a member of a very large family, and had brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, as well as sisters. Thus Mary had, at least seven children, and so could not have been a perpetual virgin. One would have thought that this testimony from the evangelists themselves was decisive: but not to the Church of Rome.

Its difficulties were further increased by Paul, who actually met James, and refers to him as the brother of Jesus (Gal. 1.19, I Cor. 9.5). Moreover, the Jewish historian, Josphus writes of the execution of James in 62C.E as 'the brother of Jesus'.

How was the deception created? Jerome (342-420 C.E) was a scholar, a monk, and one of the 'Fathers of the Church', translated the Bible into Latin, (the Vulgate). The New Testament was written in Greek and he rendered 'adelphos' - 'brother', as 'cousin'. Thus was the record falsified.

Those who are pressing for a statue of Eoves should therefore give pause: they would be perpetuating an untruth and causing religious offence. If the proposal ever comes before the District Council it should be rejected out of hand.

D FALVEY, Hampton Manor, Evesham.