Russia, Poland and Austria Stand by Italy Concerning Crucifixes in Classrooms

Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev, president of the department for foreign relationships of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

In Russia, Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev, president of the department for foreign relationships of the Patriarchate of Moscow, declared, on November 11, that he absolutely stood by the Vatican and the Italian government after the sentence of the European Court of the Rights of Man condemning the presence of crucifixes in classrooms of public schools in the peninsula on this past November 3. “We think that the activity of the European Court must not become a farce and that these hyper-liberal ideas must not prevail,” added the Orthodox prelate addressing foreign newsmen. Moreover, touching upon the meeting between the Patriarch of Moscow Cyril and Benedict XVI, Bishop Hilarion said that up to now the place and precise date had not been considered, but that there was a “desire to take a step forward.”
In Poland, some fifty Polish members of Parliament, from the government coalition and from the conservative opposition, signed a resolution for “the protection of religious liberty” against the ruling of Strasbourg. They accused the European Court of the Rights of Men of violating the rights and feelings of the believers and to jeopardize social peace. On November 19, Polish press indicated that only the social-democrats did not join the movement.  Most of the signatories belong to the civic platform of President minister Donald Tusk.
On November 19, in Austria, the parties of the OVP and SPO coalition brought in a bill to the National Council to protect themselves against the prohibition of crucifixes in classrooms. Thus it is required that the government take the necessary measure so as to guarantee the presence of religious symbols in public places and of the cross in classes numbering a majority of Christian students in the future. The Austrian National Council gave charge to its government to explain to the European institutions that the ruling of the European Court of the Rights of Man and the consequences which flow from it cannot be supported by Article 9 of the European Convention of the Rights of Man on freedom of belief, of conscience and of religion. (See DICI n° 205) (DICI n° 206 - 12/17/2009- Sources: apic/imedia/kna)