All cases

No Syrian Christian Refugees Admitted in First Quarter 2018; Lord Alton Queries Home Secretary

August 7, 2018, United Kingdom

Not a single Christian was among the 1,112 Syrian refugees resettled in the UK in the first three months of 2018. In response to a Freedom of Information request from Barnabas Fund, the UK Home Office released figures on Syrian refugees resettled in the UK for the first quarter of 2018. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) recommended 1,358 Syrian refugees for resettlement in the UK of which only 4 were Christians, representing a tiny fraction of just 0.29%. No Yazidis at all were recommended by the UN. The Home Office agreed to resettle 1,112 of these (82%), all of whom were Muslims, and approved no Christians.

Fire Set to Syrian Orthodox Church in Norrköping

August 6, 2018, Sweden

St. Maria's Syrian Orthodox Church in Norrköping began to burn just after 2am on 6th of August. When rescue services arrived at the scene, there were open flames across the facade of the wooden church. 30 firemen from seven stations were able to get the fire under control by 3.40am. The police came to the conclusion that the fire was the result of arson when a fire dog found a flammable liquid on the scene, which technicians confirmed. The church was heavily damaged and it will take some time for it to be renovated. Members of the church, to which 1100 people belong, were upset and shocked. Police are searching for the perpetrator.

"KISS" Graffiti on Facade of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

August 6, 2018, Spain

A 12th century sculpture on the facade of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was painted to make the statue look like a member of American rock band KISS. The name "KISS" was also written across the body of the statue. The marble statue was restored the same afternoon and the police started looking for the perpetrator who, if found guilty, would face a fine of between 6,000 and 150,000 euros.

The chapel Notre-Dame-des Affligés vandalised

August 6, 2018, France

The chapel had been vandalised before, but not damaged to the same degree it was on August 6th. The broken door was found in the neighbouring pasture, many statues were broken, some even crumbled, the wooden base of the Virgin Mary was damaged, chairs and vases were broken, the interior walls were marred. The police has stated that " in the view of the law, it is more religious desecration than vandalism". They have started an investigation. The door has been repaired by people of good will and put back in its place. Concerning the broken statues, the ARARCO association has been contacted to evaluate the finances necessary to restore the chapel. The people responsible for the church have said that if the amount of finances needed is large, a call for donations will be launched on the internet. Many people affected by this act of vandalism have offered to give them statues and vases to bring the small chapel back to life.

Four Fires Set in Saint-Pierre de Neuilly

August 5, 2018, France

On the 5th of August Four fires were started in the parish church Saint-Pierre in Neuilly-sur-Seine at about 2:30 in the afternoon. They were noticed by two people who had been waiting for the bus on the Avenue du Roule but had entered the church to cool down. They smelled smoke and found fires at four different locations near the entrance. The passersby rushed to extinguish the flames with water to keep the fire from spreading. Fourteen firemen with three engines were called to the site. The perpetrators had started the fires by setting flames to flyers and a prayer book. They had also left a piece of paper on a candle at the foot of a statue. No material damage was caused. The parish filed a complaint and the police started an investigation.

Jewelry Dedicated to the Virgin Mary Stolen from Church

August 5, 2018, Italy

The Church of Corlo di Formigine was robbed during the night between the 4th and 5th of August. The thieves took advantage of village celebration of the feast of la Madonna della Neve to steal golden chains, bracelets, and rings that had been donated by the faithful as a pledge to the Virgin Mary over the years. The jewelry was kept inside the reliquary which protects the fresco of the Virgin Mary and had been displayed in the church for the occasion of the festival. This act of vandalism has left the community upset.

Figure of Virgin Mary Damaged in Important Marian Shrine

August 3, 2018, Poland

The statue of the Virgin Mary in the small Shrine of Our Lady - the Teacher of Young People in Warsaw-Sierkierki was destroyed by vandals some time between August 2nd and 3rd. The perpetrators opened the glass case which protects the statue and damaged the statue. The shrine is important because of the Marian apparitions that appeared in the Siekierki region between 1943 and 1949. Police began an investigation and the parish held a reparation Mass for the vandalism and prayed for the conversion of the perpetrators.

Vandal damages outdoor furniture of church Santa Corce in Villaseta

August 1, 2018, Italy

A vandal went on a rampage outside the church of Santa Corce in Villaseta, a district of Agrigento. He broke pots of plants placed around the statue of Padre Pio and other outdoor furniture. He tried to enter the church where dozens of faithful had taken refuge. The vandal himslef hurt himself during his escalation and even left traces of blood scattered on the floor. The parishioners themselves called the police. An investigation was started and footage from surveillance cameras retrieved. The police believe it was a fifty-year-old from the area.

Catholic Politician's Home Targeted with Vandalism

August 1, 2018, United Kingdom

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg's Somerset home was vandalized with graffiti, condoms were hung on a small cross in the garden, and a sex toy covered with a condom was stuck on a car. While the politician has been controversial for his support for Brexit, media reports indicate that police suspect the sexual items were meant to target Rees-Mogg's Catholic faith and opposition to birth control.

Theft from Freto Church

July 30, 2018, Italy

Just a few days after a theft from the cathedral in Modena, two people, taking advantage of a deactivated alarm in the small church in Freto (Modena), stole a marble baptismal font. Although the theft was captured on surveillance cameras, the identity of the thieves was unclear. This was not the first theft from the isolated church and the nearby cemetery. The residents of the area were upset by the theft from the church.