ABSTRACT
This chapter is devoted to the Italian debates around the role of Christian values and symbols in Italian, European, and Western identities. It focuses on the issue of crucifix display in public places, and it will additionally mention some minor debates in the draft of the European Union Constitution. If we specifically look at the presence of religious symbols in schools and other public institutions, which is the main focus of the chapter, we find significant differences among European countries. The chapter shows how and when these frames were adopted by Italian political and social actors in the different phases of the debate about the crucifix. The Spanish case indeed reactivated the crucifix issue, and the media arena gave much room to the Church's position. The judgement stated that the crucifix was the only symbol admitted in courtrooms, and conservative commentators argued that this was recognition of the importance of Christianity for the Italian national identity.
