On 4 August 2026, racist and anticlerical graffiti was discovered on the Church of San Francisco de Asís in Oviedo, including the message "Traitor rats, welcome the Moors to the Vatican." The incident caused concern among those responsible for the church and constitutes a clear instance of targeted anti-Catholic sentiment and racist graffiti.
The graffiti was painted on the exterior of the well-known Church of San Francisco de Asís, also known as the "round church" in Oviedo. The message, which was discovered by parish priest, Juan José Tuñón, was found on his way to celebrate daily Mass. The inscription referred to the Church as "traitors" and included a derogatory reference to Muslims: "Traitor rats, welcome the Moors to the Vatican." The wording was reported by local media as both xenophobic and anticlerical.
Fr. Tuñón expressed his concern while municipal workers carried out the removal of the graffiti, which could not be entirely removed, even after cleaning. The local reporting described the incident as an attack on an emblematic church in the city. He also commented that these words are not an accurate reflection of the neighbourhood or life in the area, he stated: "This is a neighbourhood of very good people, this doesn't fit with this neighbourhood."
Source: elcomercio, Ine.es
Image: Wiki Commons
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