Frankfurt: Hospital removes crosses

Frankfurt: Hospital removes crosses


A German hospital removed twelve crosses, supposedly due to objections from Muslim patients, Christian German news agency Idea reported Tuesday.

Workers in the Bad Soden hospital near Frankfurt took off the crosses from the wall in front of the patients and put them in trash bags, which led to criticism by patients.

Director Helmuth Hahn-Klimroth had his employees do the job with the required prudence.  Crosses aren't considered common furnishings in a  general hospital, according to the director.

The crosses come from the surgical department of a hospital which was Roman Catholic till 1974.  At the request of the employees the|C crosses stayed on the walls after the hospital turned into a general hospital.  In September the department moved to Bad Soden.  After complaints by two patients, the nursing staff decided to remove the crosses, says the director.

Deken Eberhard Kühn of the Evangelical Church in Bad Soden says it would have been better if the crosses had stayed on the walls.  "A crucifix in a hospital room doesn't mean for a Muslim that his recovery is in danger."  The cross is more of a sign that attention is given to the soul of the patient as well, says Kühn.

At the request of the employees, a cross was kept in the employee area.  The question of what to do with the removed crosses will be discussed with the hospital chaplains.

Source: Reformatorisch Dagblad (Dutch), h/t NRP

No comments: