Local residents and businesses are publicly backing St. Edmond Catholic Church after a recent dispute with Rehoboth Beach government over a crèche that was removed from a prominent, public spot in the city.

The city ordered St. Edmond on Dec. 6 to take down the Nativity scene, which is owned by the Kiwanis Club, after the mayor gave the church informal permission with the condition that other religious symbols, such as a menorah, be included in the display, according to the church. The city ordered the Nativity scene be removed within days of it appearing by the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, which is located less than a mile from the church.

“There was never any permission given by the city for this display,” Rehoboth Beach Mayor Paul Kuhns said during a Monday meeting with city officials.

Since the Nativity scene was removed, many people have weighed in on social media.

"They've already destroyed Statues, and the Flag....What's next Churches?" wrote Facebook user Rocco Lano in the comments section of Delmarva Now's shared post for Friday's story.

"Political correctness is killing this country!!!" wrote Facebook user Jack Zukas in the comments section of a post linking the story in a Bethany Beach locals page. "Liberal progressive politicians care about two things,,,(1) lining their pockets with unearned dollars and (2) any person who is NOT a citizen of the United States who wants to enter OUR country."

Others put the onus on the church.

"What the church has done is constitutionally wrong," wrote Facebook user Marie Velong in the comment section of Delmarva Now’s post. "There is a separation of church and state that we fought England for. Move it back on church property."

"Separation of church and state," wrote Facebook user Lindsay Bergman-Debes in the the Delmarva Now post comment section. "Keep it off public property and there’s no problem."

Verbal anger has not only been expressed on social media, according to city officials.

“That incident had also created a number of very disturbing emails, voicemails and phone calls to city staff on Friday as well as over the weekend,” said Kuhns during the Monday meeting, adding that there was “a lot of miscommunication of information surrounding the display.”

The government is unlikely to reverse its decision. And while it has put the red light on the church to celebrate its version of the holiday season for this year, some businesses have been warmer to the Catholic faith.

The Rev. William Cocco of St. Edmond Church said he has received "many, many, many emails" from landowners in the area, including business owners, offering support or a place to display the Nativity scene, which the Kiwanis Club said is now back in storage. None of the businesses that Cocco said contacted him could be reached for comment Monday.

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"What I hope really comes out of it is they all put one up,” Cocco said.

Some businesses have supported the church in other ways. Crabby Dick’s Restaurant on Coastal Highway, for example, has changed the sign outside its business to read, "Wake up Rehoboth Beach (sic) Jesus is the reason for the season."

Crabby Dick's owner John Buchheit said the message, a photo of which went viral in local Facebook groups over the weekend, was in response to the incident.

“I want people to realize not everybody in Rehoboth believes that way,” Buchheit said, adding that he plans to keep the message up until Christmas.

This comes after some Facebook users called for boycotting businesses in Rehoboth.

But Cocco argues that businesses were not involved in the government’s decision last week.

"It's not right to take this out on the businesses," Cocco said. "I don't think you should, at this point, hold money from them."

It’s unclear where — if anywhere — the crèche will go this year. The church is still working to meet with officials. Cocco said he tried to schedule a meeting with city officials on Friday following his church's removal of the Nativity scene. As of Monday afternoon, a meeting with the church has yet to be scheduled.

The city is unlikely to reverse its position. But officials announced Monday that the city plans to work with local religious organizations to discuss possibilities of an “all-inclusive” display for the future. Kuhns asked that the plan be submitted to the city before the 2019 holiday season so officials can have time to review it, according to a city spokesperson.

"If that's what it is, we'll just have to abide by that," Cocco said. "We will definitely work with the city to get it up next Christmas."

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