The government is being urged to support a petition to Unesco to declare the crucifix a ‘Heritage of Humanity’.
The appeal was made by the Movimento Etico Internazionale per la Difesa del Crocifisso (Medic), which was launched in Malta yesterday.
The movement – founded in Rome last year by Roberto Mezzaroma, a former Member of the European Parliament and well-known architect and entrepreneur – aims to lobby for support for the crucifix to be given the recognition it feels it deserves.
The call comes in the wake of the stir caused by the case filed before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) by a Finnish woman and her two sons against the presence of crucifixes in state schools in Italy.
The complainants argued that the presence of crucifixes in state schools was incompatible with the obligation on the state.
However, after initially deciding in their favour, on March 18 the ECHR ruled there had been no violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
In light of this declaration, Medic requested the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to declare the crucifix as a ‘Heritage of Humanity’.
The vision of Medic, according to its founder who addressed yesterday’s conference, is to present the suffering Christ on the cross as a symbol of contradiction, love and reconciliation.
Medic is not out to crusade against other religions but rather to encourage people to look up to the crucifix as an image of God-made man, who accepted the suffering and the humiliation of the sacrifice of the cross, Mr Mezzaroma said.
He called on the Maltese government to support the initiative along with other countries which have already expressed their support.
Maltese Milan-based priest Charles Vella is the movement’s ethical consultant. Addressing yesterday’s conference, he gave a brief explanation about why he and Medic believe the crucifix should be given this recognition.
The crucifix was a symbol of unity and solidarity among people, and had been part of the heritage of all humanity for 2,000 years, he said.
For believers, he continued, the crucifix was not just a symbol or icon to hang on the wall, but a spiritual imprint in the hearts of all people of goodwill.
The crucifix, he said, did not only have a religious meaning, but also cultural, civil and social value.