Vatican Castration of Choir Boys for Hundreds of years

VATICAN CASTRATION APOLOGY DEMANDED
NEW YORK POST - August 17, 2001 - The Vatican, which for centuries had young boys castrated to preserve their angelic singing voices, is being urged to apologize for the barbaric order.
Human-rights groups and historians say Pope John Paul II, a singer himself, should beg forgiveness for former pontiffs who approved the mutilation of castrati singers.
From the 16th century on, thousands of Italian boys had their testicles removed in the hope their voices would not break and their high registers would be enhanced by the vocal power of a man.
Disturbing new research suggests the shocking practice was tolerated by the Vatican as late as 1959.
A Vatican spokesman said the church is aware of the controversy, but hasn’t yet decided whether it will be addressed.
https://nypost.com/2001/08/17/vatican-castration-apology-demanded/