All cases
Christian Converts Must Prove Continued Faith or Face Deportation
February 16, 2020, Germany"Kurosh," an Iranian convert to Christianity who received asylum in Germany four years ago, faced a 25,000 euro fine or a prison sentence if he did not respond to a lengthy series of questions about his faith from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). He was also required to provide a certificate from the pastor at his church to demonstrate his commitment to his faith. He reports that he provided all the information requested, but remains in fear that this will happen again. This is the BAMF "Revocation and Withdrawal Procedure."
Saint-Dié Cathedral soiled with Excrement
February 16, 2020, FranceOn February 16th, spilled candles, arson attack, and smeared excrement were found by the sacristan in the Saint-Dié cathedral in the Vosges. The parish priest filled a complaint to the police. The city has assigned police officers to monitor the Cathedral.
Iranian Christian Convert Faces Deportation
February 16, 2020, United KingdomReza Karkah, an Iranian Christian, faces the prospect of imprisonment, torture and separation from his wife and child after the UK Home Office rejected his application for asylum on the basis that he was ‘fabricating’ his Christian faith.
Daily Damage in Cathedral Prompts Abbot of Saint-Dié to File Complaint
February 16, 2020, FranceThe abbot of Saint-Dié lodged a complaint following a series of degradations in his cathedral since the end of January. Incidents included candles being knocked over, fires being started, and excrement deposited in several places in the building. The mayor of the town responded by assigning two police officers to surveil the building.
Vandalism of Isle of Man Church
February 15, 2020, United KingdomBetween the afternoon of February 15th and the morning of the 16th, an unknown person or group broke into and vandalized the Christ Church in Laxey. The incident disrupted the Sunday morning services. Police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Paint Bomb Thrown at Catholic Church in Larne
February 15, 2020, United KingdomDuring the night between the 15th and 16th of February, an unknown perpetrator threw a paint bomb at St. MacNissi's Parish Church in Larne. The police treated the incident as a sectarian hate crime as they investigated and searched for witnesses.
"Carnival" Replaced by "Fancy-Dress Party" in Netherlands Public School
February 14, 2020, NetherlandsA primary school in Zevenaar renamed its traditional Carnival celebration as a "fancy dress party" on the initiative of the parents' association. They claimed that Carnival, originally a Catholic festival, would not suit the public nature of the primary school.
Anti-Christian Tags In the Church of Buxerolles
February 14, 2020, FranceIn Buxerolles, an anticlerical message was tagged on the parish church Saint-Jacques des Hauts-de-Poitiers. The tag reads "The only church that illuminates is the one that burns." Residents informed the police.
Burglary from Church Discovered during Funeral
February 13, 2020, FranceThe people who opened the Église Saint-Symphorien in Valvignères on February 13th for a funeral discovered signs of a burglary. Evidence of a break-in were found at one of the access doors, and several objects were missing: two chalices, two patens, a monstrance, two ciboriums, two cruets, two holy water fonts, and a baccarat crystal chandelier of significant size and weight. It appeared that the intruders also tried break into the sacristy and forced the door of the tabernacle with a crowbar. It was unclear from reports whether consecrated hosts were stolen.
Violent Burglary in Saint-Charbel Monastery
February 13, 2020, BelgiumThree masked individuals armed with a crowbar burst into the Saint-Charbel Monastery in Ophain-Bois-Seigneur-Isaac between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. on February 13th. The intruders detained a monk and forced him to open various doors, including those of a parish office and furniture containing offerings. The identity of the perpetrators and extent of the loss have not been determined. The monastery, run by the Lebanese Maronite Order, is home to refugees hosted by the monks.