A survey in Austria has revealed overwhelming support for visible and communal expressions of Christianity in public life.

The findings of the survey, presented on 19 August by Austria’s Minister for Family and Integration, Claudia Plakolm, also highlight a sharp divide between maintaining cultural tradition and adhering to a personal faith.

Conducted by the OGM Institute, a Vienna-based private research institute founded in 1976, and drawing on the answers of more than 1,000 respondents, the study revealed that 79 per cent of Austrians want Christian festivals such as St. Nicholas Day, Easter and St. Martin’s Day to be celebrated in schools, while 69 per cent favour keeping crosses in classrooms.