Santa Margarita María de Alacoque Parish in Madrid was burglarised and desecrated after intruders forced open two tabernacles, damaged the church and discarded a relic of the parish's patron saint. The incident followed months of reported vandalism and disruptions, including verbal abuse during mass, affecting the parish community
During the night of 30 to 31 July August 2026, Santa Margarita María de Alacoque Parish in Madrid was targeted in a sacrilegious theft and desecration. According to the reports, unknown perpetrators forced entry into the church, breaking the main entrance and the sacristy door, opening two tabernacles, forcing open cupboards and doors, and stealing cash, tools and paint kept on the premises. They also left rooms throughout the parish ransacked and damaged.
Before the attack, the parish priest had removed the consecrated hosts from the tabernacles because parish activities were suspended during August. However, one of the tabernacles contained a relic of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, which the intruders removed and left on the floor. The forced opening of the tabernacles and the mistreatment of the relic constitutes strong reason to believe that sacred objects of particular religious significance were targeted beyond the hope of financial gain.
The reports state that the parish had experienced repeated incidents in the preceding months, including stones thrown at the church, repeated kicking of the entrances, verbal abuse that disrupted Masses, and acts of vandalism inside the parish buildings. Earlier in 2026, parish facilities were reportedly vandalised on two occasions, including an incident in which excrement was smeared across the walls and ceiling of the toilets. According to the reports, parishioners had filed several complaints with the police concerning these incidents.