All cases
Church Vandalised in Lecce
March 3, 2013, ItalyVandals entered the St. Michael's Parish Centre in Lecce and set fire to a holy book that was on the lectern. Fortunately the fire was put out before more damage was done.
Magazine Defames Benedict XVI and His Secretary
March 2, 2013, GermanyDue to the Pope's resignation, in a caricature on its title page, the German magazine, Titanic, implied Pope Emeritus Benedict and his secretary, Archbishop Gänswein to be engaging in homosexual sex, uttering "Finally - sex!". This hurts religious feelings of the faithful, defames both and deepens a negative stereotype against church hierarchy.
Magazine Caricatures Conclave as Group Sex
February 28, 2013, FranceThe French Magazine Charlie Hebdo comments on the election of the new Catholic Pontiff with a caricature on its title page showing the cardinals having group sex and calling their sexual climax the descendence of the Holy Spirit. The faithful perceive this as hurtful and intolerant to their religious convictions.
Magazine Front Page Caricature Upsets Christians
February 27, 2013, FranceOn the occasion of the resignation of pope Benedict XVI and the conclave in which a new pope ought to be elected, the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo, featured a caricature on its front cover which shows the cardinals engaging in group sex. The words suggest that it is their sexual pleasure which the cardinals mockingly call the Holy Spirit.
Church Burglarised and Desecrated in Oberhausem
February 27, 2013, GermanyUnidentified criminals burglarised and vandalised the Catholic church St. Josef in Oberhausem, North Rhine Westphalia. The act included desecration of the tabernacle, the altar and a relic. Several precious stones were taken and the registry was left in disarray.
Vandalism and Burglary in St. Joseph’s Church in Oberhausen
February 27, 2013, GermanyThe church of St. Joseph’s in Oberhausen, Germany was broken into by a burglar who after a failed attempt to enter through a window broke the door to the sacristy. He smashed an old alter relic when trying to open the next door into the church. The police were called and came with their tracking dogs but they lost the trail. All the cabinets in the church were broken and the contents dumped on the ground. Microphone and sound cables were torn out and on his way out the burglar stole gems.
Church Vandalised in Gummersbach, Hessen
February 22, 2013, GermanyAround 12 pm on the 22nd of February unknown perpetrators broke into the parish of Gummersbach, Hessen and stole the offertory. They pried it off the wall with scissors which seriously damaged the sacral space.
Church Vandalised and Burglarised in Lünen
February 21, 2013, GermanyIn the night of the 21st of February the registry of the St-Marys church of Lünen was broken into and gravely damaged. The place was left in disarray and the offertory was emptied.
Vandalism and Burglary in the Church of St. Mary in Lünen
February 21, 2013, GermanyUnidentified perpetrators broke into St Mary's Church in Lünen, Germany. They also vandalised the youth centre and the parish centre. Much damage was done but hardly anything stolen. In the youth centre one of the billiard tables was badly damaged.
Nail Bomb Placed in Almudena Cathedral in Madrid
February 20, 2013, SpainA nail bomb was found in the Almudena Cathedral by a priest who reported seeing a suspicious looking bag on leaving the confessional. The Cathedral was evacuated before anyone was hurt by the home-made device, and the police were able to deactivate it without any damage being done.