All cases

Thieves Broke Into The Sanctuary of Mercy and Attacked Two Parish Priests And Personnel

April 12, 2020, Spain

In the early morning of Sunday 12th April, three individuals with covered faces assaulted the parish house of the Santuari de la Misericòrdia in Canet de Mar. The perpetrators entered to a whole on the fence that protects the rectory, trying to enter the ecclesiastical premises through a window. They went then to the quarters and attacked the parish priests Pere and Joan Travessa and the stewardess, who were beaten and thrown to the ground. The attackers asked where the money was stored but didn't get the information and attacked the custodian of the sanctuary and his assistant. This was the second time in less than a year, that catholic temples are attacked in Maresme.

Offensive Graffiti on The Square in Front of Saint Peter Church

April 12, 2020, France

On Sunday 12th April, an Inscription was found on the square in front of the Church in Osseja. This happened during Easter night, when Christians celebrated the Resurrection of Christ. The inscription says "The Church is not the House of God". The Father Christian Burillo reacted very saddened and said this gesture shows the suffering of the people in the city.

Police Suspended an Open-Air Mass Without the Participation of the Faithful

April 12, 2020, Spain

On the 12th of April, the police suspended a Mass being celebrated on the parish courtyard of San Jenaro de Madrid. Although the Mass was being held without the participation of the faithful, it was interrupted by the police and the priests had to be identified. The Madrid City Council stated that the parish had installed without authorization a megaphone outside the building, which had raised "complaints from neighbors".

The Police Evacuated a Holy Mass in San Fernando de Henares

April 12, 2020, Spain

On Easter Sunday, the Police evacuated the parish of San Isidoro in Valencia, were nine people and the priest were gathered. They also interrupted the prayer of the Rosary in an act of Eucharistic adoration. The temple had space for 700 people, so the ten people could sit with plenty of space between them, using masks and gloves. The police allowed them to finish the Mass and warned them that if they did not suspend the church services and activities from now on, they would be sanctioned.

Vejleå Church in Ishøj Vandalized with Islamist Graffiti

April 12, 2020, Denmark

On April 12th, the Vejleå Church in Ishøj was vandalized with phrases such as, "We conquer Denmark," and, in Arabic, "There is no God but Allah."

Vandalism in Bizantine Church

April 12, 2020, Greece

Vandals spray-painted anarchist slogans on the walls of the Byzantine-era Church of Prophet Elias in Thessaloniki.

Church of England Clergy Banned by Bishop from Ministering to Sick and Dying

April 9, 2020, United Kingdom

Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Chelmsford, wrote to all Church of England clergy and volunteer hospital chaplains warning them not to minister to any sick or dying hospital patients showing symptoms of the Corona virus. The intention of this effective ban is to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. However, according to Christian Today reporting on 9 April 2020: “The guidance applies only to temporary volunteer chaplains. Full-time NHS chaplains are permitted to continue ministering face to face”.

Attempted Arson and Vandalism at Christchurch in Graz-Eggenberg

April 8, 2020, Austria

An unknown perpetrator smashed the window of Christ Church in Graz with a stone and then set newspapers on fire and threw them inside the church through the smashed window. Fortunately, the burning newspapers did not cause a fire inside the church. Witnesses saw the incident and reported it to the police, who asked for help in finding the perpetrator.

Anti-COVID Graffiti on Church Wall

April 7, 2020, Germany

St. Mary Church, St. Nicholas Church, and the Church of the Holy Spirit have been vandalized with anti-COVID graffiti. The churches in Flensburg have been repeatedly vandalized with letters written in red on the façade. "I find this method of expressing opinions completely inappropriate," says the pastor of St. Mary's parish.

Priest Spoke out About Church Vandalism

April 7, 2020, United Kingdom

The Church of St. Edward was found vandalized with graffiti on the 7th April. The Priest of the Church, Father Callum Brown, expressed his concern.

Police Cancelled Rooftop Palm Sunday Mass

April 6, 2020, Spain

On Palm Sunday morning, the local police interrupted a Mass celebrated on a rooftop by the priest of the Church of the Paúls in Triana. The members of the community had improvised an altar and lectern. The priest used a speaker to reach the nearest residential blocks. While some residents informed the police saying the rules were being violated, other citizens were angry at the officers for interrupting the Mass. The priests said there were only eight of them on the rooftop, and they all lived in the same house. There was a confrontation between the neighbors supporting the Mass and the ones against it.

Priest Fined and Arrested For Processioning a Crucifix Alone

April 6, 2020, Italy

On April 6, a the Priest Father Domenico Cirigliano was fined and arrested for 14 days by the police, as he was carrying the miraculous Crucifix from the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Rocca Imperiale. He was doing a personal procession through the streets, keeping enough distance from other individuals and his assistant. The Father had told the parishioners he would bless the city in this form of reduced procession. The police reported the act as public departure, not motivated by employment, need or health reasons and had made a demonstration or religious act affecting the streets. In other cities the processions were allowed by the civil authorities.

Model Of Basilica Of San Simplicio Di Olbia Vandalized

April 5, 2020, Italy

The model of the basilica of San Simplicio in Olbia, a meticulous reconstruction and a symbol of the city, was damaged by vandals. Unknown perpetrators broke the roof and the top of the facade. This incident occurred while the city was on lock-down due to the corona virus. It was not the first time the monument had been vandalized.

Vandalism and Theft in Saint-Laurent Church in Lambezellec During the Lockdown

April 5, 2020, France

On Sunday 5th April, Father Jean Baptiste Gless noted the degradation and theft at the Church Saint-Laurent of Lambezellec in Brest. The candlesticks and candles were overturned and the lamp of the tabernacle was stolen. The parish priest refuses to close the doors of the church due to the degradation, because he says the perpetrators shall not win, he always leaves the door open in the morning, so that people can meditate and pray. During the Lockdown, the priest also prayed for the people of the town, and he hung a sign on the facade saying "Take care of you all, we pray for you".

Parish Offices of the Church of Amabilina Vandalized

April 4, 2020, Italy

Unknown intruders vandalized the parish offices of the San Giovanni Maria Vianney of Amabilina church in Marsala. The printer and the drawer of the photocopier were opened and the electrical wire was cut. Nothing was stolen because money and valuables had been removed while the church remains closed due to corona virus precautions.

Golden Cross Stolen from Osnabrück Chruch

April 3, 2020, Germany

Sometime during Holy Week unknown perpetrators broke open a glass case in the St. Joseph Church in the Miquelstraße in Osnabrück and stole a golden cross. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.

The Police Evacuated A Church Even Though the Regulations Allow Mass in Churches

April 3, 2020, Spain

On 3. April, the national Police evacuated the church of San Servando y San Germán, in the district La Laguna of Cádiz. The Police said that the security measures for the Covid-19 Pandemic were not being held at the mass. The parish priest wrote afterwards an open letter, assuring that the fifteen parishioners in the Mass were taking the right measures, and that the evacuation was not justified.

Hateful and Stigmatised Speech Against Evangelical Christians

April 3, 2020, France

Following the incident where The Open Doors Church was unfairly accused of spreading the Covid-19 infections, Christians have experienced intolerance and hate-speech all around France. Thierry Le Gall, from the national evangelical Council, mentions that in the last weeks they collected a lot of violent comments on social media, saying that the Christians should be erased or that they should not be in the country. Also, Pastors have received threats through letters and phone calls. Le Gall believes these attacks are because of ignorance about religion, intolerance and a scapegoat mechanism.

Window Smashed at Protestant Church

April 1, 2020, Germany

An unknown person smashed a window of the evangelischen Gemeinde Mainz-Laubenheim with a stone between April 1st and 2nd. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.

The Police Reported a Priest Who Was Celebrating Mass With 5 People

March 31, 2020, Spain

On the 31. March two police agents knocked on the door of the Church in Valldoreix and said to the priest "It's prohibited to open the Church and you are a murderer." They denounced the priest, although there were only five people present including the priest, and the Mass was celebrated with the regulations and on a legal basis.