European Union Calendar omits Christmas - Cites Moslem, Hindu, Sikh Holidays

[link to www.examiner.com]

The European Union has published a student's reference calendar that has omitted the holidays of Christmas and Easter, but ensures certain Moslem, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Chinese holidays and festivals are cited.

In fact, there are no Christian holidays referenced, despite the fact that Christianity is Europe's majority religion.

The diary also makes a point of citing the EU-created holiday of "Europe Day" and other key EU anniversaries,

Johanna Touzel, the spokeswoman for the Catholic Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community, said the absence of Christian festivals as "just astonishing".

"Christmas and Easter are important feasts for hundreds of millions of Christians and Europeans. It is a strange omission. I hope it was not intentional," she said. "If the commission does not mark Christmas as a feast in its diaries then it should be working as normal on December 25."

On Wednesday, EU spokesman Frederic Vincent said the 'blunder' over omitting Christmas and other Christian holidays was due to insufficient 'editorial policing' by the commission.