CAIRO – The Italian government and politicians joined hands with the Vatican in defending the display of crucifixes at classrooms across the European country after a European court dismissed it as a breach of human rights, the Guardian reported on Wednesday, November 4. "The European court has trodden on our rights, our culture, our history, our traditions and our values,'' said Roberto Calderoli, Minister without portfolio for Legislative Simplification.
"The presence of a crucifix in the classroom does not signify adherence to Roman Catholicism, it is a traditional symbol."
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday, November 3, that the display of crucifixes at classrooms goes against educational pluralism, which was part of the European rights charters recognized by Italy.
"The presence of a crucifix in classrooms could also be disturbing for pupils who practiced other religions or were atheists, particularly if they belonged to religious minorities."
The ruling marked the end of an eight-year legal battle by Soile Lautsi, who opposed the display of crucifixes at the school where her two children were studying in north-east Italy.
She appealed to Strasbourg three years ago after her case was thrown out by Italy's constitutional court.
The opposition joined the government in protesting the ruling.
"Common sense has become a victim of the law," said Pierluigi Bersani, head of the main left wing opposition Democratic Party.
"An ancient tradition like the crucifix cannot be offensive to anyone."
The debate whether crucifixes should be allowed in public schools has been already raging in Spain, France and Britain.
The landmark ruling could prompt a Europe-wide review of the use of religious symbols in state-run schools.
Christian Identity
Several ministers insisted, however, that the crucifix were not a tradition, but rather a symbol of Italy's Christian identity.
"No one, and certainly not an ideological European court, will succeed in erasing our identity," thundered Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini.
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini echoed the same sentiment.
"At a time when we're trying to bring religions closer together, this is a blow to Christianity," he said during a visit to Morocco.
He insisted that Europe's roots lay in its "Christian identity," an argument shared by European Affairs Minister Andrea Ronchi.
"The court's verdict was a symptom, a worrying sign of anti-spirituality in Europe," he told one of the TV channels owned by Premier Silvio Berlusconi.
"The crucifix will never be taken away, not from any secular place nor from anywhere in our Italy," he said defiantly.
"I think the government should and will appeal this sentence."
The government's lawyer said he would seek leave to appeal to the Strasbourg court's 17-member Grand Chamber.
If his petition is rejected, or if an appeal is subsequently thrown out, then Italy would be obliged to comply with the ruling.
The Vatican, the religious authority and reference for some 1.1 billion Catholic adherents worldwide, strongly rejected the verdict.
"The ruling of the European court was received in the Vatican with shock and sadness," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.
"A European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matter."
He insisted that the crucifix was a fundamental sign of the importance of religious values in Italian history and culture.
"It seems as if the court wanted to ignore the role of Christianity in forming Europe's identity, which was and remains essential."
Source: IslamOnline
"The presence of a crucifix in the classroom does not signify adherence to Roman Catholicism, it is a traditional symbol."
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday, November 3, that the display of crucifixes at classrooms goes against educational pluralism, which was part of the European rights charters recognized by Italy.
"The presence of a crucifix in classrooms could also be disturbing for pupils who practiced other religions or were atheists, particularly if they belonged to religious minorities."
The ruling marked the end of an eight-year legal battle by Soile Lautsi, who opposed the display of crucifixes at the school where her two children were studying in north-east Italy.
She appealed to Strasbourg three years ago after her case was thrown out by Italy's constitutional court.
The opposition joined the government in protesting the ruling.
"Common sense has become a victim of the law," said Pierluigi Bersani, head of the main left wing opposition Democratic Party.
"An ancient tradition like the crucifix cannot be offensive to anyone."
The debate whether crucifixes should be allowed in public schools has been already raging in Spain, France and Britain.
The landmark ruling could prompt a Europe-wide review of the use of religious symbols in state-run schools.
Christian Identity
Several ministers insisted, however, that the crucifix were not a tradition, but rather a symbol of Italy's Christian identity.
"No one, and certainly not an ideological European court, will succeed in erasing our identity," thundered Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini.
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini echoed the same sentiment.
"At a time when we're trying to bring religions closer together, this is a blow to Christianity," he said during a visit to Morocco.
He insisted that Europe's roots lay in its "Christian identity," an argument shared by European Affairs Minister Andrea Ronchi.
"The court's verdict was a symptom, a worrying sign of anti-spirituality in Europe," he told one of the TV channels owned by Premier Silvio Berlusconi.
"The crucifix will never be taken away, not from any secular place nor from anywhere in our Italy," he said defiantly.
"I think the government should and will appeal this sentence."
The government's lawyer said he would seek leave to appeal to the Strasbourg court's 17-member Grand Chamber.
If his petition is rejected, or if an appeal is subsequently thrown out, then Italy would be obliged to comply with the ruling.
The Vatican, the religious authority and reference for some 1.1 billion Catholic adherents worldwide, strongly rejected the verdict.
"The ruling of the European court was received in the Vatican with shock and sadness," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.
"A European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matter."
He insisted that the crucifix was a fundamental sign of the importance of religious values in Italian history and culture.
"It seems as if the court wanted to ignore the role of Christianity in forming Europe's identity, which was and remains essential."
Source: IslamOnline
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