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MONTREAL — After a patient complained last month about the presence of a large crucifix on the wall of the publicly funded Saint-Sacrament Hospital in Quebec City, management determined that in the interest of the “religious neutrality of the state,” it should come down.

It seemed a reasonable response in a province where religious symbols are frequently seen as an affront to secularism. A bill now before the National Assembly would prohibit Muslim women who wear the face-covering niqab from receiving government services in the interest of “fostering adherence to State religious neutrality.”

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But when it comes to religious symbols in Quebec, some are more equal than others.

After being confronted with a violent threat, a scolding from government ministers and a petition signed by more than 13,000 people, the hospital announced Wednesday that it was restoring the crucifix to its place inside the main entrance.