All cases

Fire set at the church doors

November 1, 2024, Italy

On the night of October 31, a fire damaged the entrance door of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Quartu.

Attempted arson in the church in Marseburg

October 31, 2024, Germany

Police have arrested the suspect in an attempted arson attack on a church in Mersenburg. The man is believed to have set fire to plastic objects in the toilet area.

Religious statues vandalised

October 23, 2024, Germany

Unknown persons have damaged figures of St Bernadette and St Mary in front of the church in Venningen on October 23. A hand was cut off and the heads damaged. The figures are part of an implied Lourdes grotto next to the car park in front of the church.

"Ave Satan" painted on Church

October 22, 2024, Poland

On the night of October 22-23, the inscription "Ave Satan" was painted on the historic wall of the Holy Trinity Church in Kwidzyn. A 44-year-old man, known to local police for other crimes, was detained. However, he did not admit guilt.

Statue beheaded and replaced with Nazi photos

October 12, 2024, Poland

On 27 September, in Witaszyce, an unknown person cut off the head of the statue of Mary in a forest shrine. On October 12, five photos of the faces of Nazi soldiers were placed inside the shrine.

Church attacked after postings inciting violence against Christians

October 3, 2024, Austria

On the morning of 3 October, a group of masked individuals used climbing equipment to scale the balustrade of St Charles Church in Vienna and remove a banner promoting the March for Life. Left-wing extremist groups are suspected of having damaged the property of the Karlskirche over a long period of time and of having verbally abused and threatened the elderly priest.

Fire and damage to a Unesco-listed medieval church

October 3, 2024, France

The Church of Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand in Poitiers (Vienne), the medieval monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was targeted by arsonists on October 3, causing considerable material damage and damaged works of art.

Church in Metz burglarised and desecrated

October 2, 2024, France

The church of Sainte-Famille in Metz was broken into and desecrated during the night of 2 October. Unknown perpetrators broke in through large windows, damaged and stole different objects and desecrated the tabernacle.

Vandalism in Rheydt's St Mary's Church

September 27, 2024, Germany

On September 27, unknown perpetrators knocked over the baptismal font of holy water, the ornate bronze dome and the font bowl in St Mary's Church in Mönchengladbach. Wax from the candles was scattered all over the church and flowers were thrown into the rubbish bins.

Head of statue of Mary torn off

September 27, 2024, Poland

An unknown perpetrator desecrated Cyranowska shrine at Karol Olszewski Square in Mielec, as reported on September 27. According to a witness to the incident, the glass of the chapel's cavity was broken, a statue of Mary was pulled out and its head was torn off.

Church in Neunkirchen devestated

September 26, 2024, Germany

As reported on September 26, the protestant church in Neunkirchen has been devastated. Vandals tore up hymn books and destroyed the altar Bible and other property. This is the second incident at the Protestant Johanneskirche in Neunkirchen.

Church Facade vandalised

September 24, 2024, Italy

The church of Santa Lucia was vandalised. The first 3 letters of Santa Lucia have been torn off. "We discovered the serious sacrilegious act this morning", said the president of the Guild of Masons of Santa Lucia, Franco Spiga, "after untying part of the writing, they threw it to the ground and tore it to pieces".

St. Luc Church in Brest Desecrated: Tabernacle set on Fire

September 21, 2024, France

On Saturday 21 September 2024, a serious act of vandalism took place in the chapel of Saint-Luc church in Brest. The tabernacle on the altar was smashed and then set on fire. As a result, the church will remain closed to the public until 2 October.

Repeated vandalism at Chester church

September 20, 2024, United Kingdom

Repeated incidents of vandalism at the 700-year-old St Peter's Church in Chester have caused the historic stained glass windows to shatter and necessitated extensive repairs subsequently. Now the St Peter’s Church has submitted an application to Cheshire West and Chester Council to fit stainless steel protective guards to six windows.

Suspected Arson at Coptic Orthodox Church in Bristol

September 20, 2024, United Kingdom

A man has been arrested in connection with a fire in a church courtyard. The blaze broke out at St Marina Coptic Orthodox Church, Bristol in early morning on September 20.

Valuable religious artefacts stolen from church

September 19, 2024, Norway

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church in Vallset and stole valuable religious artefacts.

Church facade and cemetery wall vandalised with paintball

September 18, 2024, Austria

A recently renovated church in the community of Wernberg, Austria, was vandalised with paintball bullets. The facade, cemetery wall and forecourt of the church were smeared with a brownish substance. The parish has published pictures showing numerous brown dots.

Church in Wijchen targeted with theft, arson and vandalism

September 15, 2024, Netherlands

On 15 September, two statues of Mary were badly damaged and personal belongings and devotional objects were set on fire in the St Anthony Abbot Church in Wijchen, Gelderland, both in the Marian Chapel and in the nearby Lourdes Grotto.

Fire at Parish of Migliarina

September 14, 2024, Italy

On 14 September, the oratory of Migliarina church in Viareggio caught fire. The police suspect arson. The interior of the building was completely destroyed. According to the parish priest, young boys were in the oratory when the fire broke out and had to be evacuated by the fire brigade.

Church vandalised with nationalistic graffiti

September 14, 2024, Poland

The facade of the sanctuary of Our Lady of Entrustment in Tarnowiec was painted with blue spray with vulgar inscriptions and symbols associated with nationalistic ideologies.