Romanian Orthodox Church welcomes ruling to allow icons in schools

Bucharest, Romania - The Romanian Orthodox Church is celebrating a ruling by the country's top court that allows religious icons to remain in schools.

The Romanian Supreme Court overturned a 2007 appeal court ruling that icons should be removed from schools because they discriminated against atheists and people of other religions.

About 80 percent of Romanians are Orthodox Christians and icons are commonly seen in homes, buildings and cars. The church has enjoyed a revival after communism.

Orthodox Church spokesman Constantin Stoica said June 13 that the community, not state institutions, should decide what religious symbols are allowed in public spaces.