The leading obstetric hospital in the city of Milan, Italy, is replacing its crucifixes with images of the Virgin Mary—to avoid offending members of the Religion of Peace™ and Tolerance®: Milan hospital replaces crucifix with Mary to please Muslims.

Milan - Milan’s leading obstetric hospital was replacing its crucifixes with images of the Virgin Mary to avoid offending a growing number of Muslim patients, reports said Wednesday. “Our wards have become multiethnic. We want to respect all religions and avoid any form of discrimination. That is why we have decided to replace the crucifix with the image of the Madonna, which is also appreciated by Muslim women,” daily La Repubblica quoted Mangiagalli’s medical director, Basilio Tiso, as saying Wednesday.

Some 7,000 women give birth at the Mangiagalli each year. Of these, about 30 per cent are foreign immigrants, many of whom are not Catholic.

The head of Milan’s Viale Jenner Islamic centre, Abdelhamid Shaari, welcomed the move, saying Mary was a figure that was also revered by Muslims.

“This is certainly a sign of respect for our religion that we greatly appreciate. But a white wall would have been even better. Italy is a secular state and children are angels in any religion,” Shaari told La Repubblica.

UPDATE at 5/10/07 7:05:14 pm:

LGF reader Catttt draws our attention to another Italian source that suggests this story may have been reported wrongly:

First, let me say that my Italian stinks. That said, this story appears to be saying the hospital says the crosses will NOT be removed.

Milano,smentita rimozione croci - Policlinico risponde a La Repubblica

Basically, they’re saying they subbed one cross with a pic of Mary, on behalf of a specific Muslim inpatient and that it got misconstrued by a newspaper.

UPDATE at 5/10/07 8:07:12 pm:

Another lizardoid in Indiana sheds more light on the story:

In regards to the removal of the crucifixes at Manganelli Hospital, the situation is actually the following: The medical director (Basilio Tiso) did in fact declare that they would take down the crucifixes and replace them with pictures of the Madonna, but not due to a specific request (although one can imagine there was pressure from some Muslim group). However, he does not have the authority to make such a decision and was essentially overruled by the Director of Manganelli Hospital.