A growing religious freedom battle is unfolding in Quincy, Massachusetts, where two large bronze statues of Catholic saints — commissioned to honor police officers and firefighters — have ignited a heated debate over faith, history, and the place of religious symbolism in public life.

The statues of Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Florian, each standing nearly 10 feet tall, were commissioned in 2023 by Mayor Thomas P. Koch as part of the city’s new $150 million Public Safety Building. Costing a combined $850,000 and sculpted in Italy, the figures were intended as a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of first responders — Saint Michael being widely regarded as the patron of police, and Saint Florian the patron of firefighters.

But the project has divided the community and triggered a lawsuit that could help determine how religious imagery is handled on government property in Massachusetts for years to come.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Joe Davis, senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, argued that the statues reflect “a centuries-old artistic and cultural tradition,” not an attempt to promote a particular faith. “This case is about a city trying to beautify a public space and honor those who put their lives on the line every day,” Davis said. “These are figures that are important to firefighters and police officers around the world. The purpose of these statues is to inspire and encourage the people who work there.”

Opponents see things differently. In May, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, joined by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, filed a lawsuit on behalf of 15 local residents from diverse faith backgrounds. They argue the display uses taxpayer funds to elevate one religion above others, violating both the Massachusetts Constitution and the First Amendment.

According to the lawsuit, the statutes send an “exclusionary message” that non-Catholic residents “are second-class citizens who should not feel safe or equally respected.” The ACLU had previously warned the city in a February letter that the imagery, particularly Saint Michael’s depiction of standing on a demon, was “abhorrent” and reminiscent of “brutal force.”

Davis rejected those characterizations and pointed to long-standing examples of public art with religious associations — including a statue of Moses holding the Ten Commandments at the U.S. Supreme Court. “If we say that a symbol cannot be displayed in public just because it has religious associations for some, that’s going to require us to take down quite a bit of public imagery across this country,” he said.

He compared Quincy’s plan to the 2019 Supreme Court ruling upholding the Bladensburg Peace Cross, a World War I memorial in Maryland. “That cross honored the war dead. Quincy wants to honor firefighters and police officers,” he noted.

Local reactions have been mixed. Supporters argue that the statues reflect the deep respect many first responders have for their patron saints, while critics accuse the mayor of moving ahead without public input, pointing out that many residents and even city officials learned of the project only after renderings appeared in a newspaper in early 2025. A petition opposing the statues has since drawn over 1,600 signatures, and an interfaith group of nearly 20 clergy members released a statement warning that the display “sends a message that there are insiders and outsiders in this community.”

For now, the statues remain overseas in storage, awaiting shipment, as an injunction has paused installation. The case may soon reach the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, where justices will consider whether public art that incorporates religious imagery violates the state’s strict constitutional separation of church and state.

Davis hopes the outcome will protect the role of religiously influenced art in civic spaces. “Quincy is doing what cities have done for centuries,” he said. “Using art to honor the people who protect and serve. That’s not a religious act. It’s an act of gratitude.”