Corpus Christi processions: Fraternity of Saint Peter permitted, Fraternity of Saint Pius X banned

Corpus Christi procession: Fraternity of Saint Peter wins in Geneva court - Fraternity of Saint Pius X lose

The Geneva judiciary has ruled in favour of a parish of the Fraternity of Saint Peter. The canton had banned it from holding a procession on Corpus Christi. The ban violates the freedom of faith and conscience, a court has now ruled. An appeal by the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, however, was rejected.

A Catholic parish wanted to hold a procession through a neighbourhood of the Geneva municipality of Carouge on Corpus Christi. To this end, it submitted an application for a permit in 2022. Between 100 and 300 people were expected, the Keystone-SDA news agency reported on 31 March. According to the French-speaking Swiss news portal kath.ch, it was a parish of the traditionalist Fraternity of Saint Peter. However, the responsible department of the Canton refused to grant permission.

Religious neutrality of the public space affected

In the department's view, the procession was not only a homage to a deity, but also aimed at showing this homage to others, according to the agency report. The authority saw this as a serious interference with the freedom and rights of others to the religiou neutrality of the public space.

Ban violates freedom of faith and conscience

The Parish of the Fraternity of Saint Peter did not want to accept the ban and filed an appeal. With success. According to Keystone-SDA, the court of appeal ruled on 21 March that the ban on the procession violated the principle of proportionality and, as a consequence, the freedom of conscience and religion of the appellants.

Religious peace not endangered

A silent procession through four streets of the neighbourhood in question was planned, namely on the pavement. It would have taken place on a Sunday morning. "It was a rally of limited extent, and it is not evident that it could affect religious peace," the judges found.

In addition to the  Fraternity of Saint Peter, a parish of the likewise traditionalist Fraternity of Saint Pius X has filed an appeal against a ban on the Corpus Christi procession, as cath.ch reported on Tuesday. This appeal was rejected, the Fraternity of Saint Pius X now wants to go to the Federal Court. The Fraternity of Saint Pius X - unlike the Fraternity of Saint Peter  - does not belong to the Roman Catholic Church.

Recognised churches have more rights

In the canton of Geneva, only organisations that are officially recognised by the canton may apply for permission to hold a cultic event on public land. These currently include the Protestant, Roman Catholic and Christian Catholic churches.

The Fraternity of Saint Pius X has not signed the charter to the law on secularism, as its officials told kath.ch. Only communities that sign the charter receive the status that allows them to have relations with the state. In the charter, they undertake to respect fundamental rights, according to kath.ch.

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