All cases

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.