VATICAN CITY, NOV. 5, 2009 (Zenit.org).- In European schools, crucifixes are prohibited but Halloween pumpkins are promoted, observed Benedict XVI's Secretary of State.
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone stated this in response to the Tuesday decision of the European Court of Human Rights, which called for the removal of Christian symbols from public school classrooms.
"This Europe of the third millennium only leaves us the pumpkins of the feasts repeatedly celebrated and takes away from us our most cherished symbols," said the cardinal in an article published in L'Osservatore Romano.
He continued: "It is really a loss. We must try with all our strength to preserve the signs of our faith for those who believe and those who do not believe."
After expressing his appreciation for the initiative of the Italian government to appeal against the decision of the European judges, the prelate stated that the crucifix is the "symbol of universal love, not of exclusion, but of acceptance."
"I wonder if this decision is or is not a reasonable sign," he concluded.
Traditions
For his part, Monsignor Aldo Giordano, the Holy See's permanent observer to the Council of Europe, commented to Vatican Radio that this decision confirms "a certain ideological attitude."
"In the name of certain ideas," he said, "it attempts to force the reality," or demonstrates "a wish to impose things on reality."
The priest stated: "I believe instead that Europe has extreme need of respect for the reality of the people, for the traditions. If we continue to corrode our identity, we begin to no longer have a vision
