All cases

Church Desecrated in Crete

December 18, 2016, Greece

Unknown perpetrators entered the Orthodox church of the Archangel Michael near Lagoliou, set sacred books on fire in the sanctuary, and sprayed "Allah is great" in Arabic on the walls.

Christian Kindergarten Advent Performance Disrupted by Man Carrying Koran

December 17, 2016, Austria

During the children's performance in Schwanenstadt, attended by parents and relatives, a 24-year-old Somali man with a backpack and plastic bag got on stage and began waving the Koran around. When people tried to remove him, he resisted and began shouting "Allah." The police investigated.

Christmas Decorations and Crèche Thrown in River

December 17, 2016, France

During the night of December 17-18th, all of the Christmas decorations installed on a bridge, as well as the handmade wooden crèche arranged at the feet of a statue of the Virgin Mary were thrown into the Seine in Fouchères. A complaint was filed with police.

Spanish Court Acquits City Councilor of Infringing on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Convictions

December 16, 2016, Spain

Rita Maestre had been fined for removing her top inside a chapel during a protest against the "antidemocratic and chauvinistic" positions of the Catholic Church in 2011. On appeal, that decision was reversed as the court found that "inadequate clothing or certain inappropriate gestures" were "disrespectful but not desecration."

Priest Attacked, Tied Up, and Robbed in Pastoral Center

December 16, 2016, France

Rutumbu Juvenal, the priest in charge of the parish of Palaiseau, was attacked by two armed men on December 16, 2016 at the church's pastoral center.

Bomb Discovered in Front of Church

December 15, 2016, France

A parishioner discovered a bomb in a cardboard box against the door of the Saint-André church. Police in Toulouse are investigating and said that the device was capable of a small explosion.

Thieves Hit Caorle Cathedral in 3rd Incident in Veneto Region in 10 Days

December 15, 2016, Italy

Glass cases protecting sacred statues and images were smashed and the decorative jewels and offerings of the faithful were stolen. Police are investigating the links between this incident and others in the region targeting shrines containing sacred images.

Five Churches Burgled in Three Weeks

December 13, 2016, France

According to the Bishop of Réunion, five churches have been the target of thieves in the preceding three weeks. The most recent was the church of Sainte-Marie, which was ransacked and money and equipment were stolen. A criminal investigation is underway.

Thieves Steal Gold from Sacred Statue of Our Lady of Pilastrello

December 11, 2016, Italy

After several failed attempts since June 2016, thieves managed to sneak into the guarded shrine in Lendinara, smashed a protective glass case, and stole all of the gold on the statue of the "Black Madonna."

Dozens of Christian Statues Destroyed

December 8, 2016, Germany

Police in the Münsterland region are investigating the destruction of Christian statues of holy figures since the end of October. One report said "not a day goes by without an attack on a statue. The local Christian community is concerned and upset by the destruction. An anti-religious motive is suspected and the police believe the vandalism is fueled by a "lust for destruction". Estimates suggest the cost of the damage to be a six-figure sum.