All cases

Magazine Front Page Caricature Upsets Christians

February 27, 2013, France

On the occasion of the resignation of pope Benedict XVI and the conclave in which a new pope ought to be elected, the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo, featured a caricature on its front cover which shows the cardinals engaging in group sex. The words suggest that it is their sexual pleasure which the cardinals mockingly call the Holy Spirit.

Church Burglarised and Desecrated in Oberhausem

February 27, 2013, Germany

Unidentified criminals burglarised and vandalised the Catholic church St. Josef in Oberhausem, North Rhine Westphalia. The act included desecration of the tabernacle, the altar and a relic. Several precious stones were taken and the registry was left in disarray.

Vandalism and Burglary in St. Joseph’s Church in Oberhausen

February 27, 2013, Germany

The church of St. Joseph’s in Oberhausen, Germany was broken into by a burglar who after a failed attempt to enter through a window broke the door to the sacristy. He smashed an old alter relic when trying to open the next door into the church. The police were called and came with their tracking dogs but they lost the trail. All the cabinets in the church were broken and the contents dumped on the ground. Microphone and sound cables were torn out and on his way out the burglar stole gems.

Church Vandalised in Gummersbach, Hessen

February 22, 2013, Germany

Around 12 pm on the 22nd of February unknown perpetrators broke into the parish of Gummersbach, Hessen and stole the offertory. They pried it off the wall with scissors which seriously damaged the sacral space.

Church Vandalised and Burglarised in Lünen

February 21, 2013, Germany

In the night of the 21st of February the registry of the St-Marys church of Lünen was broken into and gravely damaged. The place was left in disarray and the offertory was emptied.

Vandalism and Burglary in the Church of St. Mary in Lünen

February 21, 2013, Germany

Unidentified perpetrators broke into St Mary's Church in Lünen, Germany. They also vandalised the youth centre and the parish centre. Much damage was done but hardly anything stolen. In the youth centre one of the billiard tables was badly damaged.

Nail Bomb Placed in Almudena Cathedral in Madrid

February 20, 2013, Spain

A 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, Germany

Using 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, Italy

Inverted 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, France

The 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, Spain

The 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, France

Female 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, Spain

A 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, France

French 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, International

On 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, France

During 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!”

Graffiti on Walls of Church in Vigasio

February 9, 2013, Italy

Two young girls entered the church and using black spray paint made a smiling devil who "hates the Vatican”, a slanderous stylized crucifix and wrote insults in English.

University Assistant Professor Loses Job Due to Opposition to “Gay Marriage”

February 7, 2013, Germany

A Cologne university professor lost his job because he had spoken for Christian values and against “gay” marriages in a TV appearance. The university claimed that such views were not to be tolerated.

Vandalism and Arson in Two Churches in Cusio

February 6, 2013, Italy

Within two days there were 4 arson attacks and 6 cases of vandalism in the parish of Saint Catherine and Saint Audenzio Pettenasco. The fire did not spread through the buildings but curtains were burnt and the wooden upper part of the entrance that supports the choir and a precious organ were damaged. A hammer was used to destroy the gate of the Shrine of Our Lady of Bocciolo, an awl was used on other doors and insults were written against the church.

Church of Saint-Germain de Charonne in Paris Marked with Graffiti

February 6, 2013, France

The Church of Saint-Germain de Charonne in Paris was marked with the words, “The only church that illuminates is the one that burns.”