ROME (AP) — The Vatican has denounced a ruling by the European court of human rights that said the display of crucifixes in Italian public schools violates religious and educational freedoms.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi says the crucifix is a "fundamental sign of the importance of religious values" in Italian history and culture.

He says the European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matter and that it seems as if the court wanted to forget the role of Christianity in Europe's identity.

Lombardi's statement came the court In Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday ordered Italy to pay a €5,000 ($7,390) fine to a mother who wanted crucifixes removed from her children's classrooms.

The Italian government said it would appeal.