All cases

Graffiti and Damage Reported at Emden Church

January 21, 2026, Germany

Between 16 and 21 January 2026, the Martin Luther Church in Emden was vandalised with graffiti, and its lightning rod wire was deliberately damaged by unknown individuals.

Nativity Scene Theft Reported at Church in Grone

January 19, 2026, Italy

A theft occurred at the church of Santa Maria Nascente in Grone in mid-January, when two individuals from the Milan area stole a ceramic statuette of the infant Jesus from the church’s nativity scene.

Missal Set Ablaze in Alessandria Chapel

January 19, 2026, Italy

On the morning of 19 January 2026, an unknown individual set fire to a liturgical missal inside the Chiesa del Monserrato in Alessandria.

Zamora Suffers Another Vandal Attack on Church

January 18, 2026, Spain

On 18 January 2026, vandals defaced the rear façade of the Iglesia de Santiago el Burgo in Zamora with a slogan: “More housing and fewer churches”.

Buncton’s 11th‑Century Church Attacked

January 18, 2026, United Kingdom

All Saints Church in Buncton, West Sussex, suffered extensive damage after almost all of its windows were smashed and fixtures vandalised between 13 and 18 January.

Sacred Objects Damaged During Prayer in St Peter Basilica

January 17, 2026, Italy

An incident took place inside the Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento at the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome, where a man threw several sacred objects from the altar to the ground during Eucharistic adoration.

Profanation at Église Saint-Sever: Theft of Consecrated Hosts

January 16, 2026, France

At the Église Saint-Sever in Rouen, France, consecrated hosts were stolen from the tabernacle of the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament on 16 January 2026, an act described as grave profanation.

Golfo Aranci Church Vandalised

January 16, 2026, Italy

Vandals targeted the Nostra Signora del Monte church in Golfo Aranci, causing damage to the outdoor altar and destroying surveillance equipment.

Call to Remove Religious Symbols Hits European Court

January 16, 2026, France

In July 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) communicated Union of Atheists v. Greece (Application No. 001-244533), a case seeking the removal of Christian icons from Greek courtrooms. The application reflects a broader attempt to eliminate longstanding religious symbols from public institutions across Europe, raising concerns about whether state neutrality is increasingly interpreted as requiring the erasure of religious heritage from public life.

Allershausen Church Targeted in Arson Incident

January 15, 2026, Germany

A deliberate fire was set inside St. Josef church in Allershausen, Bavaria, causing damage to the interior.