All cases

Mass at Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes Repeatedly Disrupted

February 1, 2016, France

According to the parish priest, beginning on January 5th, eggs have been thrown at the windows of the Nancy chapel every evening during the 7pm Mass.

Chapel Vandalized in Lyon

February 1, 2016, France

On February 1st, an unknown perpetrator broke into the chapel of la Famille Missionnaire de Notre-Dame à Lyon around 5:00pm and vandalized the statue of the Virgin Mary, which was found on the ground with a demolished head.

Historic Bruyères-le-Châtel Church Vandalized; Consecrated Hosts Stolen

January 31, 2016, France

Unknown perpetrators broke a window, overturned the tabernacle, stole the ciborium containing consecrated Hosts, and sacked the sacristy. The bishop of Evry called it a "rampage." According to a parishioner, this was not the first time the church had been a victim, as graffiti had been found last year. However, this attack was much more serious. "Consecrated Hosts were stolen. For someone who doesn't believe, this probably does not matter much. For [Catholics] it is the most serious. It is the body of Christ. It is Jesus who was attacked." For the bishop of Evry, "this is a real attack against the Catholic Church. It is the symbol of the sacred that has been affected. There is a will to do harm." (Translated from French).

1,700 Year Old Orthodox Church Damaged

January 28, 2016, Turkey

St. Mary Church, a Syriac Orthodox church, was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, destroying a portion of the wall in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir.

Police Spokesman Reported Muslims Trying to Expel Christians From Grande-Synthe Camp

January 27, 2016, France

Forty shots were fired in what was termed a quarrel between rival smuggler gangs at the Grande-Synthe refugee camp near Dunkirk. David Michaux, a CRS anti-riot officer from the Unsa-police union, told Le Figaro: "There is a real problem between Muslims and non-Muslims. Most of the camp's 3,000-odd occupants are Muslim Kurds from Iraq, Iran and Syria but a minority are Christians from Iran." He went on to say "The Muslims are trying to expel the Christians from the camp."

Seville Church the Victim of Burglary

January 24, 2016, Spain

Thieves have stolen three silver ciboria, chalices and the contents of collection boxes from the Corpus Christi church.

Bouches-du-Rhône Church Hit with Vandalism

January 23, 2016, France

On the 23rd January, Deputy Mayor Marcel Galli discovered that the Sainte Marie Madeleine de Plan-de-Cuques church (of the Marseille diocese) had been smeared with tar on three facades, with many circles painted on the walls, and large lines were drawn on the ground. The large wooden doors of the entrance to the church and the sacristy, the surface of the front porch, and entrance hall were also damaged by tar.

Bullied Christian Refugees Demand Separate Accommodations

January 20, 2016, Germany

Assyrian refugees hope to be housed apart from Muslims in the future camp near Stuttgart due to conflicts and threats.

German Pastor Warns of Dire Situation for Christians in Refugee Camps

January 18, 2016, Germany

“The situation in refugee camps, especially in Berlin is very dramatic”, said Pastor Gottfried Martens of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Berlin. Around 1.000 refugees from Iran, Afghanistan and the Arabic world visit his community.

French Pastor Reported Murder of Christian Refugee at Camp Near Dunkirk

January 18, 2016, France

In a series of emails to a French blog, Pastor Daniel O. described the beatings, stabbings, disappearance, and presumed murder of an Iranian Christian at the Grande-Synthe refugee camp.