The City of Quincy, Mass., may not install two statues of Christian saints in front of its public safety building, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled.
“The likelihood that these statues of religious figures closely associated with the Catholic faith could be viewed by the public as endorsement of a particular religion, and thus subordination of others, is enhanced by the fact that the statues are not part of a larger collection of statues and monuments that includes nonreligious ones, or statues of figures of particular importance to other religions,” the Aug. 20 ruling states.
The 34-page unanimous decision upholds a preliminary injunction granted by a superior court judge who determined the 15 taxpaying plaintiffs who filed Claire Fitzmaurice & others v. City of Quincy likely will succeed in the litigation.
Legal representation for the citizens has been provided by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Massachusetts, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Cloherty & Steinberg LLP.
Thomas Koch
“This is a win for religious freedom and church-state separation,” Americans United President Rachel Laser said. “By trying to install large religious statues in front of the government building dedicated to public safety, Mayor (Thomas) Koch and the city are violating the constitutional promise of church-state separation and sending a message to all who rely on city services that one faith is favored over all others.”
The situation stems from Koch’s goal of installing two 10-foot-tall bronze statues in front of Quincy’s new public safety building. One depicts St. Michael, Catholicism’s patron saint of law enforcement, stepping on a demon. The other presents St. Florian, a Roman soldier considered the patron saint of firefighters.
Koch decided to proceed with the project in 2023 and had his office commission a sculptor in Italy to create the monuments, and by 2025 the city had spent at least $761,378 in taxpayer dollars on the monuments, according to the state Supreme Court ruling.
“One councilor reported that he had previously been informed of the mayor’s plans and stated he believes the statues ‘will bless our first responders,’ and he hopes first responders ‘might say a little prayer before they go out on duty.’”
The plan first went public during a City Council meeting in February last year attended by more than 200 residents.
“Since February 2025, hundreds of city residents and at least one city councilor have publicly opposed the statues. An online petition opposing the statues garnered over 1,600 signatures, and 19 faith leaders from the Quincy Interfaith Network, belonging to many different faiths, issued a public statement expressing ‘grave concerns’ about the statues,” the justices wrote. “Another councilor acknowledged that ‘the statues (are) clearly contentious for everyone’ and that ‘a bunch of’ constituents expressed their concerns about the statues to him.”
The lawsuit was filed the following May arguing the use of city funds and the proposed placement of the statues on government property violated the state constitution’s requirement that all faiths be treated equally.
The mayor and his supporters have claimed the St. Michael and St. Florian statues transcend Catholicism and have deep meaning for first responders.
According to the National Catholic Reporter, Koch is a conservative Catholic who quit the Democratic Party over his opposition to abortion and homosexuality. The mayor and his supporters have claimed the St. Michael and St. Florian statues transcend Catholicism and have deep meaning for first responders.
“These statues will reflect the values our police officers and firefighters live out every day — courage, sacrifice and service. Honoring those ideals should unite a community, not divide it,” Koch said.
The case returns to the lower court but may eventually be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to NCR. “This ruling is disappointing but is only preliminary,” said Joe Davis, senior counsel for the Becket, a conservative Christian law group representing the city in the lawsuit.
But the state constitution is clear that government cannot favor one religion over another, said Jessie Rossman, legal director at ACLU of Massachusetts. “With today’s landmark ruling, the Supreme Judicial Court affirms those principles, which are the essential foundation of a pluralistic society where people of all faiths and no faith can flourish. As Quincy residents and taxpayers, our clients believe that installing these plainly religious statues would undermine those ideals.”
Plaintiff Claire Fitzmaurice said she was relieved by the court’s decision. “As a Unitarian Universalist, I cherish the principle of religious pluralism. I believe Quincy should be a place where we welcome people from all faiths and backgrounds. To have these imposing religious statues looming over the entrance of the public safety building would fly in the face of that pluralistic ideal — especially as our city continues to grow more diverse.”
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Massachusetts court blocks religious statues on government property