EU Court Rules Crucifixes Can Stay in Classrooms; It Previously Ruled Italian Crucifixes Be Removed

The European Court of Human Rights ruled on March 18, 2011 by 15 votes to two that crucifixes can be displayed in Italy's public schools, according to the Zenit website.

This ruling reverses a previous decision -- unanimously adopted -- which now seems to have been a historic error by the European Union(EU) Court.

The EU Court ruled that Italian "regulations confer on the country's majority religion preponderant visibility in the school environment" but that "that is not in itself sufficient, however, to denote a process of indoctrination."

The ruling of the Court, in effect, reinforces the opportunity to show once again that the Christian roots of Europe foster the profound identity and the social cohesion of the European continent.