Repeated acts of vandalism—including the destruction of religious items and the creation of an improvised altar—have forced a Catholic church in Vienna to close most of its interior to the public.
The Roman Catholic parish church of St. Johann Evangelist in Vienna’s Favoriten district has limited public access to its entrance area due to multiple vandalism incidents. According to a statement from the Archdiocese of Vienna published on September 17, 2025, perpetrators hurled hymn books at religious images, threw a vase at saint statues, and stole candles to construct an improvised altar using grass from a nearby park.
Although the material damage was minor, the diocese warned of escalating aggression and confirmed that authorities had been contacted. The church remains fully accessible during services. The diocese noted that no political or explicitly anti-Christian messages were found, but the behavior “clearly shows the image of a behaviorally disturbed person”.