Some Christians May Find Candy Crosses in Bad Taste

A symbol of Christianity that sits atop church steeples, dangles from necks and hangs on walls is ending up in Easter baskets, over the objections of some religious officials.

A chocolate cross is being sold this Easter season by Russell Stover Candies Inc. in about 5,000 stores nationwide, in what experts say is apparently a first for a major American company.

However, some are not happy about it. Chomping on a chocolate cross could be offensive, said Joseph McAleer, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic diocese in Bridgeport, Conn.

“The cross should be venerated, not eaten, nor tossed casually in an Easter basket beside the jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps,” he said.

But the Rev. John Matusiak, of the Orthodox Church of America, said it was “better for people to give a kid a cross instead of bunny. But it is kind of creepy to eat a cross.”

Russell Stover President Tom Ward doesn’t expect the chocolate cross to overtake the chocolate bunny, but he does expect it to bring in new customers who “wouldn’t buy rabbits.”

Ward said he considered making other images out of chocolate but opted not to. “A molded Jesus, for example, would not be a good call, and a cross with Jesus on it wouldn’t be a good idea either,” Ward said.