Italy defended the display of the crucifix in public schools before Europe’s human rights court, arguing that it is a symbol of the country’s cultural heritage and not an imposition of religious belief on students. In a hearing June 30 before the appeals body of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, a representative for the Italian government urged the court to overturn a November 2009 ruling that banned the custom as a violation of religious freedom.
The issue has potentially enormous consequences as Europe grapples with increasing secularism and a significant influx of other religions such as Islam through immigration.
Nicola Lettieri, a magistrate, argued that the crucifix was a symbol of Italian cultural heritage and history and should not be considered a religious imposition when displayed in classrooms. The case challenging such a display was brought before the European court by a Finnish-born Italian citizen who said that her two children’s religious and educational freedom in a school in northern Italy was compromised by the presence of crucifixes. Her attempts to have them removed from the classroom through the Italian judicial system were unsuccessful.
VATICAN CITY (CNS)