Association in favor of crucifixes in schools to march on St. Peter's square

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Comments: 6

Vatican City, Nov 26, 2009 / 02:05 pm (CNA).- This Sunday, an Association called "Piccola Chiesa" a Movement for Family Love, is planning a march on St. Peter's square in Rome in protest of the recent European legislation barring the crucifix from being displayed in Italian public schools. The event is being organized as a way to reaffirm the crucifix as "a sign of faith and universal fraternity and a symbol of Italian, and European, art and culture."

The Roman diocesan newspaper, Roma Sette, has announced that the initiative is being carried out to show support for "the love of the cross." Members of the group will be walking across the heart of Rome to the Vatican doorstep in protest of legislation passed by the EU Human Rights Court on November 3rd of this year.

Italian national Soile Lautsi originally took the issue to the Strasbourg-based court saying that crucifixes in classrooms infringed on her right to give her kids a secular education. Widespread debate has swept the country since the court ruled in her favor.

Among the most popular arguments against the measure is that it removes a an important part of the 'Italian identity.'

The march will begin nearly a mile from St. Peter's at the Church of Santa Maria of Vallicella and will have protesters arriving at the square in time to participate in Pope Benedict XVI's Angelus.

Comments: 6

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Raymond Peringer
Toronto, Canada 11/27/2009 10:14 PM EST

Human rights commissions have yet to learn that one does not promote tolerance of a minority by offending the majority. This court is using the religious freedom of a minority to curtail that of the majority.The tail now wags the European dog. These politically correct human rights ideologues are in good company. The last time the crucifix was banned in Europe, it was by the Communists. And the time before that, by the Nazis. If not staunched, bleeding-heart equality zealots will destroy the unique character of every nation. Next, will be a ban on all religious symbols visible from public property, the ringing of church bells which may be heard on public property, and the registration of religions. Such violations of freedom are today enforced in certain Muslim and Communist countries.

Published by: Stephen
USA 11/26/2009 10:22 PM EST

The crucifix is a sign of faith. But more importantly it is a sign of salvation. God so loved man that he gave his only begotten son Jesus Christ to be crucified for the remission of sins and salvation of all mankind. Without the crucifixion there is no resurrectiion nor salvation. It is the ultimate contradiction in the entire history of mankind. Look up because your redemption draws near. Jesus have mercy on us.

Published by: Jean-Therese Delacroix
Leesburg, VA 11/26/2009 10:10 PM EST

Thank God! Indeed, sometimes it seems to me that they have been done little of anything in Europe compared to the US on things like this, so kudos to them! (Well, there's always a first time, right?) It seems to me though, that the Council of Europe and the European Union has been violating the rights of people to their practice of the religion (at least in terms of the US Constitution). This crucifix incident just looks like the beginning of a queasy relationship between the EU, the CoE, and the member-states who want to defend religious freedom as is stated in their Declaration of Human Rights. And that may not actually be a good thing. May God help the protestors, and may God save the EU and the Council of Europe from itself. Amen. -- J.T. Delacroix

Published by: Jose
Panama 11/26/2009 04:18 PM EST

What I understood to have taken place was that the Court of the European Union made a monetary judgment in favor of a non-believing Italian family who felt offended by the crucifix in the classroom of their child. Neither the European parliament nor the European Court has the authority to prohibit Italy from placing crosses in their public school classrooms. Articles that state otherwise are sensationalistic and should not be published by a credible news source.

Published by: Rinda
UK 11/26/2009 02:24 PM EST

When Lithuania was part of the communist Soviet Union, there was a place called the Hill of Crosses which the communists tried to destroy time and time again. The more the authorities sent the bulldozers in to rid the place of the crosses, the more people came back to place more crucifixes. Pope John Paul II famously placed one there on his pastoral visit to the country. If anyone asks me to take down my cross or remove it from round my neck, I'll request that they amputate another part of my body instead and hand them the appropriate instrument. Please God there will be many thousands of protestors - I wish I could be there.

Published by: Diane
Edmonton 11/26/2009 02:13 PM EST

I am so happy to hear that the residents of Italy are standing firmly for their faith! May God bless everyone in the march and may he intercede with this important issue!

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