A lawsuit challenges the installation of statues of St. Michael and St. Florian outside Quincy's public safety headquarters, raising constitutional questions about religious symbols in public spaces and possibly heading to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A significant legal dispute has erupted in Quincy, Massachusetts, over the planned installation of two large bronze statues of Catholic saints outside the city's new public safety headquarters.
The conflict, which could potentially reach the U.S. Supreme Court, centers on statues of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian. The statues, commissioned by Mayor Thomas Koch and crafted by an Italian sculptor, were added to the building project after initial city council approval, with an estimated cost of $850,000. The $175-million, 122,000-square-foot public safety building became operational in mid-March 2026, but the statues remain in limbo.
In May 2025, following media reports, seventeen residents filed a lawsuit in state superior court, arguing that the statues' presence would violate the Massachusetts Constitution. The plaintiffs, represented by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and Cloherty & Steinberg LLP, contend the display subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and the prohibition against subordination of any sect. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is defending the city.
Senior counsel Joseph Davis stated, "The ACLU's position is anti-art and anti-history and we're confident the justices will reject it. We don't hide away beautiful civic art just because it might make someone think of religion, and nothing in Massachusetts law says otherwise. Quincy has every right to honor its first responders with symbols that have inspired courage and sacrifice for generations.
" The statues have specific iconography: St. Florian, a fourth-century Roman soldier and Christian martyr considered a pioneer of firefighting, is depicted pouring water on a burning building. St. Michael the Archangel, associated with defense against evil, is shown with wings, holding a shield while vanquishing a demon. Both saints are globally recognized symbols for firefighters and police, reflecting centuries of Western artistic tradition.
Supporting the city, a brief from the National Fraternal Order of Police and Massachusetts Fraternal Order of Police noted that multiple faiths revere St. Michael and emphasized that first responders of all backgrounds cherish these saints for their professional symbolism, countering the ACLU's claim that the statues solely advance religion
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