Italian lawmakers’ move to hang crucifix stirs protest from church leaders

After a similar move in Bavaria, Italian lawmakers want to hang a crucifix in all government buildings as a “permanent reminder” of the nation’s Christian identity, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The newspaper said in a recent story that nationalists and politicians across Europe are promoting the use of Christian imagery in an attempt to change established politics and define the continent as Christian as a reaction to Muslim immigration.

As in Bavaria, in Italy the move is sparking disagreement among Christian leaders. It has drawn criticism from allies of Pope Francis, who insists Christians should be generous towards immigrants.

“The cross is a sign of protest against sin, violence, injustice and death,” said papal advisor Rev. Antonio Spadaro in a recent Twitter feed. He called the use of the crucifix for political purposes “blasphemous.” 

The Journal reported that for decades after World War II, parties that identified as “Christian Democrats” were a mainstay of center-right politics in Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. 

However, the newspaper said the decline of that tradition has opened opportunity up an opportunity for nationalists and far-right parties to claim the cross as theirs.