ROME - Europe leaves Catholics with mere "pumpkins" to display their faith, the Vatican number two said Wednesday, after the European court ruled that crucifixes displayed in schools are a breach of human rights.
"This third millennium Europe leaves us with the pumpkins from recent celebrations," deplored Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, referring to the Halloween festival that the Vatican considers anti-Christian.
Europe "takes away those symbols that are most important to us," he added, speaking to the press during a hospital visit.
"We can do nothing but deplore" this decision, and "use all our powers to conserve the symbols of our faith for believers and for others".
Italian political leaders on the left and right were united in attacking the European Court of Human Rights ruling in response to a case brought by an Italian mother opposed to the hanging of crucifixes on classroom walls.
Silvio Berlusconi judged "unacceptable" the European Court of Human Rights ruling in response to the case of an Italian mother opposed to the hanging of crucifixes on classroom walls.
The prime minister said on national television that the decision "is unacceptable for us Italians" and called it "one of those decisions that makes us doubt the good sense of Europe."
The Strasbourg court found that the right of parents to educate their children according to their own beliefs, and children's right to freedom of religion, were breached by the crucifix in classrooms.
They could also be "disturbing for pupils" from other religions and ethnic minorities, the court found, declaring a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
"The crucifix has always been a sign of God's love, unity and hospitality to all humanity. It is unpleasant that it is considered a sign of division, exclusion or a restriction of freedom," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.
Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, said the ruling aimed to "wipe out our Christian roots".
The case was brought to the Strasbourg courts by Soile Lautsi after Italian judges finally ruled against her following years of legal wrangling.
But the European court ruled in Lautsi's favour on Tuesday and awarded her 5,000 euros (7,400 dollars).
Lautsi launched the action eight years ago to defend her children, Dataico and Sami Albertin, aged 11 and 13, who went to a state school in Abano Terme near Venice.
Taking the case up to Italy's Constitutional Court and council of state, she used the example of a 2000 court ruling which found crucifixes in polling stations against the principle of secularism of the state.
La Stampa newspaper said that "if a religion is strong, if it has faith in its ability to create faith, then it does not need special protection".
Some right wing politicians have said that Italy's Christian roots should be enshrined in the country's constitution.
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