National holiday

Mikl-Leitner: “The cross is not up for debate!”

Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Klosterneuburg's Provost Anton Höslinger and Economic Director Andreas Gahleitner.(Bild: NLK Burchhart)

Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner sent out a clear signal as part of the celebrations for the provincial holiday. At the festival in Klosterneuburg Abbey, she declared: "The cross stands for what unites our society - and is therefore not up for debate in Lower Austria!" 

Will the cross be taken down in hospitals? Will St. Martin's Day and St. Nicholas' Day be replaced in kindergartens and parishes? There have recently been heated discussions about local traditions. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner took a clear stance on Leopoldi Day. She explained that our society is rooted in millennia-old traditions and values that have laid the foundations for a modern Europe. This is particularly important in times when more and more people are concerned that the country is losing its identity.

 Cross in schools, kindergartens and hospitals
"The cross stands for what unites society. It not only stands for the Christian faith, but also symbolizes the principles of our society - such as charity, solidarity and compassion." This is why the cross will remain a "source of strength", especially in places such as schools and hospitals. Mikl-Leitner: "The cross is not up for debate. Neither in nurseries, schools nor hospitals!" At the same time, she took up the cudgels for Roman Catholic religious education.

The Governor also reiterated the province's commitment to its cultural heritage: "The example of Klosterneuburg clearly shows the great importance of the abbeys and monasteries in our beautiful province. The abbeys are not only impressive buildings, but also spiritual centers and sources of spiritual strength." Throughout Lower Austria, the state provides five million euros every year for the preservation of monuments, two thirds of which is invested in church buildings.