A stone grotto was demolished, statues of the Madonna and Padre Pio were desecrated, and church gardens were destroyed in a targeted act of vandalism at the Church of San Francesco in Francofonte.
In Francofonte, Italy, unidentified individuals vandalised the Church of San Francesco and its surrounding grounds during the night. The perpetrators demolished a stone grotto containing a statue of the Madonna, which was forcibly removed and thrown to the ground. They also overturned plant vases, destroyed flowerbeds, and detached a statue of Padre Pio. Parish priest
Parish priest Carmelo Scalia described the scene as “a disgraceful act,” noting, “Even the Lourdes grotto was targeted… the Madonna statue was thrown to the ground and covered in soil, and the figure of Saint Bernadette had a vase placed on her head.” Don Luca Gallina of the Chiesa Madre strongly condemned the attack and expressed his support for the parish, stating, “We firmly denounce what happened and renew our confidence in the triumph of good over evil.”