All cases

Minister of Science, Education and Sports Recommendation not in Keeping with Legal Regulations

January 1, 2013, Croatia

The Recommendation by the Minister of Science, Education and Sports, Mr. Ž. Jovanović, on conducting religious instruction in elementary schools during the first and last hours of the day (as of April 3, 2012), is still in force. This Recommendation discriminates against the regular nature of religious instruction which was agreed upon in international contracts.

Chanting Naked Man Caught in Zagreb Cathedral

December 31, 2012, Croatia

On the 31st of December 2012, a naked man was caught chanting: „Sex in Schools!“ in the Cathedral of Zagreb, Croatia. This was reported by the Apostolic Nunciature in Croatia.

Vandalised Churches in Austria in 2012

December 31, 2012, Austria

Numerous cases of vandalism against churches and church buildings took place in Austria in 2012. Find here a non-exhaustive list of recorded incidents.

Burglary of Churches in Austria in 2012

December 31, 2012, Austria

Numerous cases of burglary of churches and church buildings took place in Austria in 2012. Find here a non-exhaustive list of recorded incidents.

Long List of Hate Crimes Against Christians in 2012 Reported by the Holy See

December 31, 2012, Germany

The Holy See reported numerous hate crimes against Christians in Germany in 2012 to OSCE/ODIHR. View the locations and dates here.

Long List of Hate Crimes Against Christians in 2012 Reported by the Holy See

December 31, 2012, Hungary

The Holy See reported numerous hate crimes against Christians in Hungary in 2012 to OSCE/ODIHR. View the locations and dates here.

Long List of Hate Crimes Against Christians in 2012 Reported by the Holy See

December 31, 2012, Italy

The Holy See reported numerous hate crimes against Christians in Italy in 2012 to OSCE/ODIHR. View the locations and dates here.

High Court Rules No Right for Christians to Decline Sunday Work

December 30, 2012, United Kingdom

A new ruling by a High Court judge says that Christians have no right to decline working on Sunday as it is not a “core component” of their beliefs, considering that „many Christians work on Sundays".

University Professor in Austria Calls for Death Penalty for Pope

December 28, 2012, Austria

During Christmas holidays 2012, Austrialian born Richard Parncutt, professor for music sciences at the Karl-Franzens-Universität in Graz, issued the official University website to call for death penalty for the pope as a punishment for opposing artifical birth control and condoms. The university deleted the comments and summoned Prof. Parncutt to a disciplinary meeting: “Safeguarding human rights belong to the most important principles of the University of Graz.” The professor apologized.

Reported Attacks Against Places of Worship in Germany

December 27, 2012, Germany

In 2012 the Holy See reported attacks against places of worship in the following places of Germany: • 19 May 2012 Bürstadt (Idstein) • 19 May 2012 Bispingen (Walsrode) • 23 May 2012 Petersberg (Osthessen) • 26 June 2012 Flensburg • 23 June 2012 Bergtheide. (Lübeck) • 23 June 2012 Bad Herrenalb • 17 June 2012 Krefeld • 12 June 2012 Haltingen. (Weil am Rhein) • July 2012 Münster-Gremmendorf (Westfalen) • 31 July 2012 Engelsdorf (Sachsen) • 17 July 2012 Meiningen • 14 July 2012 Euskirchen • 6 July 2012 Eckernförde • 16 August 2012 Bötzingen (Freiburg) • 28 August 2012 Cochem (Mosel) • 30 August 2012 Altkreis Norden (Aurich) • 4 September 2012 Hirschhorn (Odenwald) • 7 September 2012 Ihringen (Breisach) • 7 September 2012 Bad Langensalza (Thüringen). • 7 September 2012 Aurich (Niedersachsen) • 9 September 2012 Mirskofen (Landshut) • 10 September 2012 Weimar-Niederweimar • 18 September 2012 Cochem (Mosel) • 21 September 2012 Neuhausen (Pforzheim) • 15 October 2012 Leidingen (Saarland) • 4 November 2012 Ahlbeck (Vorpommern) • 5 November 2012 Bielefeld • 5 November 2012 Schöntal (Heilbronn) • 10 November 2012 Lübeck • 11 November 2012 Brandenburg (Havel) • 13 November 2012 Schmalegg (Ravensburg) • 15 November 2012 Märkische Heide • 17 November 2012 Thüringen • 21 November 2012 Groß Leuthen (Lausitz) • 27 November 2012 Mainz. • 27 November 2012 Daaden (Siegen) • 29 November 2012 Gotha • 4 December 2012 München • 15 December 2012 Drensteinfurt (NRW)

Reported Damage to Properties in Hungary

December 27, 2012, Hungary

In 2012 the Holy See reported damaged to property in the following places in Hungary: 10 January 2012 Pécs 27 January 2012 Mezőfalva 04 March 2012 Pécs, Rácváros 22 March 2012 Pécs 08 April 2012 Pécs 27 June 2012 Pécs, Parrochia San Francesco 04 September 2012 Piliscsaba Klotildliget 08 December 2012 Sárbogárd 16 December 2012 Németkér 20 December 2012 Újpetre 23 December 2012 Simontornya

Reported Cases of Damage to Property in Italy

December 27, 2012, Italy

The Holy See reported damage to property in the following places in 2012: 12 February 2012 Terrasini (diocesi di Monreale) 22 February 2012 in provincia di Trento 02 March 2012 Cinisi (diocesi di Monreale) 31 May 2012 nel quartiere di La Gogna, fra 10 August 2012 Trinitapoli in Puglia 19 November 2012 di Milazzo (Messina) 22 December 2012 Termoli 23 December 2012 Villagrazia di Carini (Monreale)

Reported Cases of Desecration to Graves in Italy

December 27, 2012, Italy

The Holy See reported cases of desecration of graves on the following dates in Italy in 2012: 19 March 2012 22 March 2012 19 April 2012 20 June 2012 19 September 2012 24 September 2012 28 November 2012

Nativity Scene Statues Decapitated in Frejus

December 26, 2012, France

In front of the Tourist information office in Frejus, France, the wooden nativity scene of the local parish, suffered severe vandalism. During a night of the Christmas season the statues of Mary and Joseph were decapitated. The perpetrators and their motives were not clarified by the police.

People in Turkey Threatened by Plain-Clothes Police

December 26, 2012, Turkey

People in the Denizli, Diyarbakir, Sinop and Hatay provinces attending worship services were being threatened and warned about further participation by plain-clothes policemen. The Police also requested information about other people attending.

Pride Parade Hurts Christians' Religious Feelings

December 25, 2012, Slovenia

During the Ljubljana Gay Pride Parade 2012 the protestors for „a proud LGBT community“ carried signs which hurt the religious feelings of Christians: One image satirically said "let us return to the middle ages" showing a pope-like figure cutting apart a rainbow flag. The other one read: "even Jesus had two fathers". Furthermore, the Observatory was told by the organizers of the Iskreni Festival (clf. a pro family event), that Slovenian LGBT lobby organisations attacked their work massively. They tried to pressure benefactors of the festival into seizing any financial support due to the Iskreni Festival's pro life and pro family orientation.

Muslims Shout Abuse at Christians Queueing for Christmas Services

December 24, 2012, United Kingdom

Muslims protested in front of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, on Christmas Eve 2012 while Christians were lining up to enter the Cathedral for services. One person reported to the Observatory: “We have been adversely affected, distressed, and inconvenienced because of the nature, loudness, and closeness of this verbal outpour of hatred and abuse abuse. None of the Christians who were peacefully waiting in line to attend a Christmas celebration provoked the verbal abuse that we were forced to endure. At one point a Muslim male was loudly shouting abuse at us from a distance of about four meters.”

Three Churches Set on Fire in Amstetten

December 23, 2012, Austria

On December 23, three churches were set on fire in the small town of Amstetten, lower Austria. One of the churches was severely damaged.

Evangelical Church in Bremen Vandalized

December 22, 2012, Germany

Two days before the Christmas, the evangelical church in Bremen Tenever was vandalized in a way, that the Christmas celebrations could not take place in the church.

Nativity Scene Burnt Down in a Church in Savoy

December 18, 2012, France

The nativity scene at the Church of Barby in Savoy was set on fire on Tuesday, December 18th, between 7 and 8 in the evening. The sacristan reported that it is not the first instance of attack the Church has experienced. The day after several parents and children of the parish set up a new nativity scene.