All cases

Supreme Court Acquits MP for Bible Verse Tweet, Convicts Over Church Pamphlet

March 26, 2026, Finland

Finland’s Supreme Court has unanimously acquitted parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen of “hate speech” charges related to a 2019 social media post in which she cited a Bible verse to express her views on marriage and sexual ethics. At the same time, in a narrow 3–2 decision, the Court convicted Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola over the publication of a church pamphlet originally written in 2004.

Wave of Vandalism and Thefts in Frosinone Churches Raises Concern

March 24, 2026, Italy

Over the past two months, several churches in Frosinone have been affected by repeated thefts and acts of vandalism targeting sacred objects. One particularly disturbing incident occurred on 24 March 2026, when a woman approached the altar, turned a statue upside down, struck a cross, and removed the altar cloth, actions captured on CCTV.

Vandalism at Saint-Pierre Church in Caen

March 22, 2026, France

An act of vandalism at Saint-Pierre Church in Caen left a stained glass window broken.

Vandalism in Garbenteich Church: Bible Damaged with Fire

March 22, 2026, Germany

A Protestant church in Garbenteich was vandalised, with fire damage affecting the altar Bible and altar area.

Altar and Sacred Objects Targeted in Deliberate Desecration

March 21, 2026, Belgium

A church in Lommel was again targeted by vandals who left sexually explicit messages and desecrated the altar and religious objects. The incident forms part of a series of repeated attacks, including with arson, on the same church in recent months.

Catholic Priest Faces Criminal Investigation Over Statements on Church Teaching on Sexuality

March 20, 2026, Iceland

Monsignor Jakob Rolland is facing a potential criminal trial after explaining Catholic teaching on homosexuality in a radio interview and stating that the Church offers spiritual guidance to persons with same-sex attraction who seek it. Following the interview, LGBTIQ advocacy groups launched a campaign calling for legal action, leading to a police examination of the Catholic priest under Iceland’s 2023 ban on “conversion practices”.

Parish in Provaglio d’Iseo Targeted by Vandalism

March 20, 2026, Italy

The church of Saints Peter and Paul in Provaglio d’Iseo was targeted by vandalism, with its historic rose windows heavily damaged by stones.

Cross Destroyed in Vandalism at Memorial in Szczecin

March 19, 2026, Poland

Unknown perpetrators vandalised a memorial lapidarium in Szczecin, damaging tombstones and a stone cross.

Vandals damage Chapel of San Giuseppe in Nozarego on its feast day.

March 19, 2026, Italy

Vandals damaged the chapel of San Giuseppe in Nozarego, breaking two front windows in an act of deliberate destruction on the chapel's dedication day.

Repeated Desecration Inside Catholic Church in Białystok

March 18, 2026, Poland

A Catholic church in Białystok has been repeatedly targeted with acts of vandalism and religious offence. A suspected has been identified through CCTV footage.