by Judi Mcleod
May 5, 2004
In welcoming 10 new nations in the European Union (EU) last Sunday, Pope John Paul II warned that the bloc could only face the challenge of the 21st century if it defended its Christian roots.
You’d have to dig deep to find the EU’s Christian roots these days. Indeed, asking the question "Is the EU anti-Christian?" could be right up there with asking, "Is the Pope Catholic?"
The pope, whose native country of Poland is in the 25-nation strong EU, told the faithful gathered at St. Peter’s Square Europe’s identity would be "incomprehensible" without Christianity. He has repeatedly called for the bloc to enshrine Christianity, but this has been resisted by the EU’s secular politicians.
Guess the Holy Father hasn’t heard about the rumours swirling over the head of Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the council of the EU and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
a member of the Club of Rome and of Spain’s Socialist Party, Solana symbolism doesn’t originate from the catechism.
It’s not likely John Paul II has ever visited the EU’s crystal palace in Brussels or would be as familiar with its trappings as outspoken protestant minister, Rev. Ian R.K. Paisley, MPP, MEP.
While political Pooh-Bahs visiting EU headquarters are often photographed with the giant oil painting of a cherub as the main backdrop, Paisley goes behind media headlines.
The Man of the Cloth has written eloquently about the crystal palace, the millions of pounds it cost to build it, and he even lavishes details on the EU’s chosen symbol: The Woman Riding the Beast.
The Woman Riding the Beast is of course, distasteful to Bible-reading Christians the world over. Yet, the depiction of the same symbol was reproduced on the centenary stamp of the E.U. and in a huge painting in the Parliament’s new building in Brussels.
and if that weren’t enough, it was repeated again in a huge sculpture outside the new EU Council of Ministers office in Brussels, for good measure.
"a massive crystal palace tower--officially called the Tower Building–houses the fifth parliament of Europe," Paisley wrote. "It is certainly a building of the space age. The seats of its massive hemicycle are designed like the crew seats in the Star Trek space machines. There are 679 of them--but wait for it! While these seats are allocated to members, one seat remains unallocated and unoccupied. The number of that seat is 666."
The number 666 seems to be a favourite, if not an obsession with the EU. In 2000, with help from France, Solana created a military command structure in the EU, purportedly to compete with the U.S. for government dominance in the Mediterranean by implementing Recommendation 666.
The EU is coming at the world out of left field. With 25 members already signed up and three other applicants Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey waiting in line, it’s a force to be reckoned with.
Dangerously remote in terms of its public image, the EU could be best known because of its currency.
The euro became the coin-of-the-realm for 12 European countries on Jan. 1, 2002.
Some regret that by virtue of juridical agreement, the Vatican signed up for the euro.
after Dec. 31, 2001, the Vatican no longer would use the Italian lira, but the euro, a move Vatican 11 detractors saw as a step that decreases the already feeble temporal independence of the Holy See.
according to the Republic Catholic Daily, "by permitting his image on the new coin, John Paul II has given another symbolic and powerful stimulus to the European Union, which with the issuance of the euro is taking an important step towards the Universal Republic."
Italian sculptor Guido Veroi coined the new Vatican currency. Not missed by EU watchers was that while one side of the Vatican coin replicates the rest of the European countries, the other side of the coin bearing John Paul II’s image is striking. The image faces left.
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
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