All cases
Nail Bomb Placed in Almudena Cathedral in Madrid
February 20, 2013, SpainA nail bomb was found in the Almudena Cathedral by a priest who reported seeing a suspicious looking bag on leaving the confessional. The Cathedral was evacuated before anyone was hurt by the home-made device, and the police were able to deactivate it without any damage being done.
Offertory of Catholic Church in Dieringhausen Stolen
February 19, 2013, GermanyUsing a scissor a perpetrator pried the offertory off the wall of the Catholic Church on Dieringhauser street in Gummersbach. He also took the container and its contents.
Satanic Graffiti on Church in Urbino Duomo
February 17, 2013, ItalyInverted crosses and 666 were found on two doors of the church. The three doors were dented as well, one whose neoclassical façade was rebuilt by Valadier in 1801, following a strong earthquake in 1789.
Church in Orléans Twice the Target of Vandals
February 14, 2013, FranceThe church of Saint-Paterne in Orléans, France, became twice the victim of vandalism. Sometime during the night of the 11th to 12th of February, three of its poor boxes were pillaged, and then again from the night of the 14th to 15th of February, the door of the tabernacle was forced open and the ciborium emptied of its contents, the hosts spread over the floor. A covering was taken, but not the ciborium. In addition, the church Notre-Dame des Miracles, also in Orléans, was robbed.
T-Shirt Company in Pamplona Prints Derisive Cartoon Picturing a Catholic Bishop
February 13, 2013, SpainThe Spanish T-shirt company Kukuxumusu, known for its humorous T-shirt designs picturing cartoon animals such as sheep and bulls, printed a shirt with a bull dressed in Catholic bishop’s clothing flanked by two sheep, one of whom he is suspiciously touching. The other sheep is pulling up the “bishop’s”garment to reveal a devil’s tail. Many found this both offensive to their faith and a needless mockery of the serious matter of pedophilia.
Anti-Pope Protests in Notre Dame Cathedral
February 12, 2013, FranceFemale activists undress and shout anti-pope slogans to comment the resignation of Pope Benedict XYI in the Paris Cathedral of Notre. Toplessly, they hammered at bells and shouted "Crisis of faith,", “Pope no more!” “Bye-bye Benedict!”, “No more homophobe!” and "In gay we trust!".
Polish Erasmus Student Arrested in Cadiz for Destroying a Crucifix
February 12, 2013, SpainA twenty-four year old Polish Erasmus student in Cadiz was arrested after purportedly entering a church and throwing a crucifix to the ground, breaking the arms and legs off of the eighteenth century religious piece. A church official tried to detain the youth, but he escaped and was later apprehended by police to await trial.
Catholics Insulted by Depiction of Key Shrine Lourdes
February 11, 2013, FranceFrench Catholics were insulted by an historically inaccurate article published in the French weekly, Le Point, on the 155th Anniversary of the pilgrimage site, Lourdes.
YouTube Video Calls For Violence Against Priests
February 10, 2013, InternationalOn February 10th a youtube video was uploaded by user „Porco Dio“ containing several blasphemous pictures and comments such as "God Swine", "Our Lady the Pig", "Bastards in white" (referring to priests) and “I would like to cook a nice plate of mixed things with that saint Joseph". They also ridicule the Lord’s Prayer.
Anti-Christian Counter Manifestation to Pro Life Activity
February 9, 2013, FranceDuring a prayer meeting in front of the abortion clinic of the l’Hôpital Tenon in Paris, pro-lifers were confronted with a counter demonstration of the group “Hâter la République” (“Rush the Republic”) which held up posters depicting Jesus carrying the cross comparing the cross to an UID, a contraceptive loop. It said: “Jesus too… had a loop!”