EU crucifix ban
Crucifixes have been banned in classrooms across Italy in another worrying victory for the European Court of Human Rights. In November, the court stated that the presence of crucifixes in classrooms violated religious and educational freedom.
However, the Greek Orthodox Church has come out in strong opposition after schools across Italy – a predominantly Catholic country for whom the crucifix is a special traditional and religious symbol – were forced to remove them.
The BBC reported the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, as stating that the court had ignored the role of Christianity in Europe’s history and development. He was quoted as saying that majorities, not only minorities, had rights.
The Orthodox Church is holding an emergency Holy Synod to hash out a plan of action against the ban, which it fears could trigger similar rulings concerning the public display of Christian symbols in other European countries.
