All cases

Church attacked after postings inciting violence against Christians

October 3, 2024, Austria

On the morning of 3 October, a group of masked individuals used climbing equipment to scale the balustrade of St Charles Church in Vienna and remove a banner promoting the March for Life. Left-wing extremist groups are suspected of having damaged the property of the Karlskirche over a long period of time and of having verbally abused and threatened the elderly priest.

Fire and damage to a Unesco-listed medieval church

October 3, 2024, France

The Church of Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand in Poitiers (Vienne), the medieval monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was targeted by arsonists on October 3, causing considerable material damage and damaged works of art.

Vandalism in Rheydt's St Mary's Church

September 27, 2024, Germany

On September 27, unknown perpetrators knocked over the baptismal font of holy water, the ornate bronze dome and the font bowl in St Mary's Church in Mönchengladbach. Wax from the candles was scattered all over the church and flowers were thrown into the rubbish bins.

Head of statue of Mary torn off

September 27, 2024, Poland

An unknown perpetrator desecrated Cyranowska shrine at Karol Olszewski Square in Mielec, as reported on September 27. According to a witness to the incident, the glass of the chapel's cavity was broken, a statue of Mary was pulled out and its head was torn off.

Church Facade vandalised

September 24, 2024, Italy

The church of Santa Lucia was vandalised. The first 3 letters of Santa Lucia have been torn off. "We discovered the serious sacrilegious act this morning", said the president of the Guild of Masons of Santa Lucia, Franco Spiga, "after untying part of the writing, they threw it to the ground and tore it to pieces".

St. Luc Church in Brest Desecrated: Tabernacle set on Fire

September 21, 2024, France

On Saturday 21 September 2024, a serious act of vandalism took place in the chapel of Saint-Luc church in Brest. The tabernacle on the altar was smashed and then set on fire. As a result, the church will remain closed to the public until 2 October.

Repeated vandalism at Chester church

September 20, 2024, United Kingdom

Repeated incidents of vandalism at the 700-year-old St Peter's Church in Chester have caused the historic stained glass windows to shatter and necessitated extensive repairs subsequently. Now the St Peter’s Church has submitted an application to Cheshire West and Chester Council to fit stainless steel protective guards to six windows.

Suspected Arson at Coptic Orthodox Church in Bristol

September 20, 2024, United Kingdom

A man has been arrested in connection with a fire in a church courtyard. The blaze broke out at St Marina Coptic Orthodox Church, Bristol in early morning on September 20.

Valuable religious artefacts stolen from church

September 19, 2024, Norway

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church in Vallset and stole valuable religious artefacts.

Church facade and cemetery wall vandalised with paintball

September 18, 2024, Austria

A recently renovated church in the community of Wernberg, Austria, was vandalised with paintball bullets. The facade, cemetery wall and forecourt of the church were smeared with a brownish substance. The parish has published pictures showing numerous brown dots.

Church in Wijchen targeted with theft, arson and vandalism

September 15, 2024, Netherlands

On 15 September, two statues of Mary were badly damaged and personal belongings and devotional objects were set on fire in the St Anthony Abbot Church in Wijchen, Gelderland, both in the Marian Chapel and in the nearby Lourdes Grotto.

Fire at Parish of Migliarina

September 14, 2024, Italy

On 14 September, the oratory of Migliarina church in Viareggio caught fire. The police suspect arson. The interior of the building was completely destroyed. According to the parish priest, young boys were in the oratory when the fire broke out and had to be evacuated by the fire brigade.

Church vandalised with nationalistic graffiti

September 14, 2024, Poland

The facade of the sanctuary of Our Lady of Entrustment in Tarnowiec was painted with blue spray with vulgar inscriptions and symbols associated with nationalistic ideologies.

Altar of Bissendorf church smeared with pentagrams

September 14, 2024, Germany

On the night of 14 September, unknown persons smeared inscriptions in the form of pentagrams on the altar, pulpit and doors of St Michael's Church in Bissendorf. They also stole a plate with a chalice and a small figure of an angel.

Objects in church damaged with fire

September 13, 2024, Germany

On 13 September, unknown perpetrators set fire to and damaged several objects in the church of St John the Baptist. They also tried to open the collection box.

Church in Mill vandalised with fire

September 13, 2024, Netherlands

On 13 September, unknown persons entered the Willibrordus church in Mill, the Netherlands, and set fire to the candle stand by putting paper on the candles, causing a thick layer of candle wax on the floor and leaving the church covered in soot particles.

San Fernando Cemetery Vandalised

September 10, 2024, Spain

On 10 September, the San Fernando cemetery in Seville was the scene of vandalism. More than 60 graves were damaged during the night, with crosses and gravestones overturned and even some coffins damaged. Nothing was stolen.

Vandals destroy church altar

September 9, 2024, Germany

On September 9, the altar of St Mary in the Catholic parish of St. Peter and Paul in Grevenbroich, Germany, was overturned and smashed to pieces. The front part of the church remains closed due to the severe damage caused by the vandalism.

Burglars wreak havoc in church in Skara

September 8, 2024, Sweden

Over the weekend of 7-8 September, unknown assailants broke into the Skånings-Åsaka church in Skara. They smashed the doors, windows and safe. The church's pastor says: "It's a real mess". The whole sacristy was turned upside down.

Man insults faithful during mass

September 8, 2024, Poland

On Sunday September 8, a 40-year-old man entered the church in Tarnobrzeg during mass on a bicycle. According to witnesses, he rode several laps in front of the altar while shouting vulgarities in English and making offensive gestures.

Muslim Politician uses Christian images for shooting exercise

September 7, 2024, Switzerland

The Zurich municipal councillor and Bosnian Muslim, Sanija Ameti, published photos of herself using a reproduction of a an image of Mary and Jesus as target practice at a shooting exercise on Instagram on September 7. The pierced heads of Mary and the baby Jesus could be seen on the picture.

Statue of Mary vandalised

September 7, 2024, Poland

On September 7, the Statue of Mary at the parish cemetery of St. Bartholomew in Goraj was doused with oil. The attack caused sadness among local parishioners.

Arson Attempt: Marian chapel in Gennep targeted for the third time

September 7, 2024, Netherlands

On September 7, the Mariakapel at the Touwslagersgroes in Gennep, North Limburg, was the target of vandals for the third time in a short period of time.

Bomb threat against Kosice Cathedral

September 6, 2024, Slovakia

A bomb threat was sent by email to the Cathedral of St. Elisabeth in Kosice, Slovakia. It was claimed that explosives were hidden in the premises. Consequently, the church had to be evacuated and was searched by security forces.

Man throws knife at woman and vandalises Sacré-Cœur church in Nice

September 6, 2024, France

The police arrested a man for defacing the Sacré-Cœur church in Nice on September 6. He smashed several statues and threw a knife at a woman.

Parish house ransacked and sacred objects stolen

September 3, 2024, Germany

On the night of September 3, unknown perpetrators broke into the parish house of Corneliastrasse in Unkel through a window and ransacked the premises. They also stole sacred objects from the church.

Church in Merat targeted with fire and theft

September 3, 2024, Italy

On September 3, an attempted theft was noticed at the church of San Giorgio di Pagnano. This is the third time that the church has been targeted within a few months: At the end of May, a wooden candle box was set on fire inside the church. The priest was able to extinguish the fire before it could spread much further. A few weeks later, parcels for the members of the Bezece event disappeared.

Shrine in Otwock vandalised

September 3, 2024, Poland

On September 3, unknown vandals destroyed the shrine of "Our Lady of the Immaculate". The shrine was renovated 3 years ago by local people.

Arson Attack on the Immaculate Conception Church in Saint-Omer

September 1, 2024, France

On the night of 1 September, a 39-year-old man set fire to the sacristy of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer. The flames then spread to the naves and then to the whole church. The bell tower and the roof were completely destroyed.

Arson Attack on Church of England in Greenisland

September 1, 2024, United Kingdom

A large fire broke out on Sunday, 1 September at the Parish Church of the Holy Name in Greenisland, Northern Ireland. Police are treating the fire as arson. To local parish community is shocked by the incident.

Fire set to church in Mazara

September 1, 2024, Italy

In the night between September 1 and 2, unknown persons set the fire to the side door of the "Church of the Miracle" which is located in Via Casa Santa, in Mazara. The attack is a worrying sign of the continuation of criminal acts in the town.

Muslim woman enters church and threatens pastor: 'I am here to kill the God of the Jews'

September 1, 2024, United Kingdom

On September 1, a Muslim woman entered the evangelical Angel Church in Islington, London, screaming 'Allahu Akbar' and that she was 'here to kill the God of the Jews’. She became more aggressive after she was asked to leave the building.

Severe damage caused in church theft

August 30, 2024, Italy

On Friday 30 August, unknown persons broke into the sacristy by smashing the glass of one of the two entrance doors to the church in Mercatale di Vernio, Italy. Four chalices and three pyxes worth over 3000 euros were stolen.

Two church arson attacks in St Johnston

August 28, 2024, Ireland

A 27-year-old man has been charged with a series of alleged arson attacks in St Johnston on 28 August. He is accused of attempting to set fire to three religious buildings, namely the Irish Catholic St Baithins Church, the Protestant Orange Hall and a local Masonic Hall.

Church smeared with hateful graffiti

August 27, 2024, Norway

Heggen Church in Buskerud was vandalised. The church is located in Vikersund, where there has been a very tense atmosphere in the last two weeks after a serious incident of violence in the village.

Arsonists Set Pilgrimage Church Altar on Fire

August 25, 2024, Germany

In the night of August 24 to 25, unknown perpetrators tried to set fire to a pilgrim church in Dorschhausen, Bad Wörishofen. They also tried to set fire to the tablecloth on the altar, causing severe damage of several thousand euros.

Ukraine bans Ukrainian Orthodox Church

August 24, 2024, Ukraine

Ukrainian lawmakers have approved a bill banning the Russian Orthodox Church. The text targets the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate and has raised concerns about the safeguarding of religious freedom in Ukraine. The law requires the UOC to cut all ties with the Russian Orthodox Church or face a process that would lead to its dissolution.

Several church windows smashed

August 24, 2024, Germany

Several church windows at Friedrich-Ebert-Staße were smashed with stones by unknown persons. Police are investigating.

Desecration of Greek Orthodox Cemetery

August 24, 2024, Turkey

On August 24, staff at the Agios Eleftherios cemetery in Istanbul found that the barbed wire fence around the cemetery had been cut, gravestones desecrated, holes dug and the cemetery's guard dogs sedated.

IS claims Knife-Stabbing in Solingen was an Attack Against Christians

August 23, 2024, Germany

On 23 August 2024, a 26-year-old Syrian man attacked several people at a city festival in Solingen. IS claimed authorship of the attack and announced via Amaq (IS news agency) that it was "directed against Christians." The attack left three people dead and eight wounded.

Vandals Destroy Easter Candle and Smear Altar

August 23, 2024, Germany

Between 20 and 28 August 2024, unknown persons entered the Höchheim church and damaged the Easter candle. They also scribbled on the white altar ceiling with a burnt-out candle cloth. The damage is estimated at around 200 euros.

Serina cemetery: Church and chapels vandalised

August 22, 2024, Italy

During the night of 21-22 August, unknown perpetrators ransacked the church of the Sirena cemetery and vandalised up to 5 private chapels on the cemetery of Serina, Bergamo. Pews, religious objects, flower pots, candles and glass were strewn about and partly destroyed.

Churches in Switzerland facing a series of break-ins

August 22, 2024, Switzerland

In August 2024, thieves broke into several churches in Frick and stole valuable church ornaments: silver-plated candlesticks. In Wegenstetten, a crucifix was stolen. In Zeiningen, various gold-plated jewels were stolen. The losses were estimated at several tens of thousands of francs.

Vandalism Leaves Church in Bra Devastated

August 20, 2024, Italy

Serious damage inside the Church of the Assumption in Bra on August 20 has caused deep concern. Unknown persons broke into the building and destroyed the furnishings and furniture. The altarpiece depicting the Assumption of the Mary was damaged with numerous holes, the face of the statue of Mary was smeared with black paint, crucifixes were broken and damaged, the curtain of the canopy over the altar was torn, and the marble and tiles were removed from the floor under the miniature of the Lourdes grotto.

Church Desecrated and Robbed

August 20, 2024, Spain

As reported on August 22, unknown perpetrators desecrated the church of Samartín de Güerces and stole objects of great religious and historical value: a chalice, a monstrance; lanterns, crosses and even lamps.

Theft of religious objects and cemetery vandalism

August 20, 2024, Italy

In August, someone stole money, keys and the personal belongings, including devotional objects, of a canon from the archpriest at the church of Saints Simon and Jude in Cartigliano. Earlier that month, someone destroyed flowers and vases on several graves in the town's cemetery.

Payout for Christian woman who was fined for silent prayer, but government planing new restrictions

August 19, 2024, United Kingdom

A Christian charity volunteer has received a £13,000 payout and an apology from police after claiming her arrest for silently praying outside an abortion clinic was unjust and violated her human rights. While many see this as a victory for religious freedom, the new UK government is planning to introduce national legislation banning prayer outside abortion clinics.

"Allahu Akabar" smeared on Church in Haiger

August 19, 2024, Germany

Unknown vandals have smeared the walls of the city church in Haiger. According to police, "Allahu Akbar" was written on the walls.

Bishop's ceremonial chair stolen

August 19, 2024, United Kingdom

An ornate historic oak bishop's chair, 100 years old and worth £500, has been stolen from the 13th-century All Saints' Church in Ashwicken between August 19- 23.

Vandals wreak havoc in Montecilfone church

August 17, 2024, Italy

On the night from August 16 to 17, unknown persons destroyed a statue of Mary and other sacred objects in a chapel of a retirement home in Montecilfone.