A truly Christian symbol for our euro

Very soon, our country will join the eurozone, and we will have a brand new, completely different coinage in our pockets.

A competition was held to see what would be the most appropriate symbol to use on the reverse side of the Maltese euro coins.

There have been many suggestions, supported by reasons why this or that symbol would be most appropriate. Each symbol mentioned has its own merit, but the reverse side of a euro coin is very small, and most of the symbols suggested would be lost, and they would definitely not be understood by the great majority of people outside Malta.

Europe is supposed to be a Christian continent and the European Union is therefore supposed to be predominantly Christian. It is sometimes very difficult to reconcile this fact with the many un-Christian laws, rules and regulations passed and authorised by Brussels. Nevertheless, of Christian origins we are, and, hopefully, Christian we will stay.

We hear every day of Christian symbols being taken down at Christmas time; of the Christmas season itself being called by other non-Christian names; of wanting the Red Cross organisation being re-named. There was even the case of the crucifix having to be removed from the office of the chaplain of Manchester University not to offend certain students. I could go on and on, with examples of the vanishing face of Christianity in Christian Europe.

Now, Malta is Christian. In fact, Malta is probably the most Christian country in the European Union. Its people are also practising Christians, and the island is a lonely voice within the larger EU, trying to keep Christian values alive.

What better way is there of showing our Christian faith, and our Christian values, in the deteriorating European scenario other than by placing the best symbol of our Christian faith on the Maltese Euro coinage: the image of Jesus Christ?

The image of Christ is a symbol that most Europeans still recognise, and it would be a fight back for Christianity if Europeans, carrying our euro coins, were also carrying with them in their pockets the image of Christ.

It would also show the rest of Europe that we are Christian and very proud of the fact.

It would show that the Maltese, unlike other Christian countries in Europe, are not ashamed to be Christian and want to show that we are a Christian country.

Now, there will always be people who will say that this cannot be done. We cannot have the image of Christ on our coinage. But this is our coinage. This is our country. And this was our choice.

The words "In God we trust" appear on every banknote of the United States of America, the most powerful country in the world. A precedent has therefore been set by a country that is proud of its traditions.

There will be those who would not like Christ to be associated with money, but on the other hand, money is one of the great necessities of life and if used properly can do so much good.

I, for one, being Christian and very proud of the fact, would be delighted if we could show the world our Christian faith in such a symbolic form.