All cases

Extreme Vandalism in Tarbes Church

November 21, 2019, France

On the afternoon of November 21st, two men broke a door and entered the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the Tarbes city center to commit serious vandalism. The unidentified vandals tore up and burned Mass books and then soiled them with human excrement; at least one of them urinated against a wall. A statue of St. John the Baptist was thrown at the pews, a crucifix was toppled and thrown to the ground, and a fire extinguisher was emptied in the church. The organ was opened and microphone wires were torn out. The perpetrators fled when a parishioner entered to pray.

Update: Atheist Parents win Legal Challenge against Christian Assemblies in Church-Run School

November 20, 2019, United Kingdom

An atheist couple who launched a High Court challenge because they feel their children are being religiously "indoctrinated" during assemblies have won their judicial review claim. The Burford primary school in the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire is one of 33 schools of the Church of England's Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST). Although parents were already entitled to withdraw their children from assemblies, even in church-run schools, The Harrises have argued that the school must provide an "inclusive assembly as a meaningful alternative for pupils withdrawn from Christian worship," rather than simply supervision of the children.

French Nun Denied a Place in Retirement Home Due to Religious Habit

November 19, 2019, France

In October 2018, an elderly nun applied for a place in a retirement home in Vesoul, run by the city's Centre Communal d'Action Sociale (CCAS) in her home prefecture of Haute-Saone. After nine months on the waiting list, on July 2019, her request for housing was accepted, but with one condition: "With due respect for secularism, any ostentatious sign of belonging to a religious community cannot be accepted in order to ensure the serenity of all. Indeed, religion is a private affair and must remain so." The nun was told she could only wear a discreet cross. Having worn her religious habit all of her adult life, she refused to comply and was thus denied a place.

Arrests for Vandalism in Church

November 18, 2019, France

On November 18th, five young people were arrested for vandalism at the church Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais. Vandalism included urinating in confessionals and holy water stoups, tearing up a book, and attempting to set fire to the altar cloth.

Italian Church Thief Urinated on Altar

November 16, 2019, Italy

On the afternoon of November 16th, an unidentified man entered the Trasfigurazione del Signor church in Scorrano while it was empty and stole money from the donation box and a golden necklace from around the neck of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Before leaving the church, he urinated on the altar underneath the crucifix. The incident was captured on video and police are investigating the identity of the individual.

German Church and Pilgrimage Site Targeted by Arsonists Twice in One Week

November 16, 2019, Germany

A visitor to the St. Katharina Kirche in Buschhoven discovered that a fire had been set in the church during the early afternoon of November 16th. Local media reports that books and booklets were placed on top of the lit candlesticks in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, revered by Christians and pilgrims as the "Rosa Mystica." The books caught fire and the church was enveloped in a huge mass of smoke and soot before the fire brigade was able to extinguish the blaze. Earlier in the week, a fire had been set in the same church using the candles but was extinguished before major damage occurred.

Protestant Church Vandalized in Buschhoven

November 16, 2019, Germany

The Protestant Versöhnungskirche in Buschhoven was the target of vandalism twice in the same week, with its hymnals and booklets scattered, seat cushions thrown on the floor, candles pushed off the altar, and a small fire lit on a doormat. These incidents coincided with fires having been set at the nearby St. Katharina Kirche.

Christ Figure Burnt in Holy Sepulcher Chapel

November 14, 2019, Spain

On morning of November 14th, the hermitage of the Holy Sepulcher in Tauste (Zaragoza) was discovered vandalized and the life-sized statue of the Nazarene Christ burnt. The custodian of the hermitage, Juan Francés, found the remains of a fire when he opened the hermitage and found "everything lying on the ground and on fire.” The city council of Tauste condemned the attack on the hermitage “It was an attack on a religious and cultural symbol of our people. It is not a simple act of vandalism.”

Politician Deselected for Christian Views

November 13, 2019, United Kingdom

A Catholic Liberal Democrat who was the prospective candidate for Stoke-on-Trent South in the upcoming election was abruptly deselected on the basis that his "values" were not in line with the party. Thirty-six hours after Robert Flello was chosen as the Lib Dem candidate, the party announced in a press release that his candidacy had been revoked. The former Labour MP's views on abortion and marriage were not a secret, as he had been a member of parliament for 12 years.

16th Century Spanish Church spray-painted with anarchist graffiti by militant group

November 13, 2019, Spain

The City Council of Segovia has condemned the graffiti on the ruins of the old temple of San Agustin, from the sixteenth century. The group Yesca Segovia, which with several photographs and a video on their Facebook and Twitter profiles claims the attack.

Statue of Our Lady of Fatima Intentionally Set on Fire

November 12, 2019, France

In the Cathedral of Saint-Luperc in the community of Eauze, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was intentionally set on fire on November 12th. The mayor suspects the crime was committed by satanists. The statue had been vandalized and stolen before. The police was informed.

Satanic and Offensive Graffiti in a Madrid parish

November 11, 2019, Spain

The exterior wall of the Madrid parish of Santa Catalina de Alejandría was painted with images and symbols including "Death", an inverted cross, and "666."

Charente-Maritime: Desecration at the Church of Tonnay-Charente

November 11, 2019, France

The church of Saint-Etienne in Tonnay-Charente was desecrated on November 11th. According to the Bishopric of La Rochelle, the cross of Christ was overturned, the tabernacle was broken, the hosts were scattered on the ground, the lunula containing a host for worship was stolen. The Bishop denounced "the deliberate desire to undermine the integrity of the consecrated hosts."

Nuns at Carmelite Convent in Ireland Verbally Abused by Intruders; Chapel Desecrated

November 11, 2019, Ireland

Intruders broke into the Star of the Sea Carmelite Nuns monastery in Malahide in the early afternoon of November 11th and verbally abused the elderly resident sisters, sprayed and smeared the walls of convent's chapel with graffiti.

Rocks thrown through Stained Glass Window of Worcester Church

November 11, 2019, United Kingdom

11-12 November 2019. Church Warden left "in tears" after rocks damaged historic details of multiple windows at St Thomas' Church, Worcester.

Arson and Destruction at Churches on Chios

November 10, 2019, Greece

Over the weekend of November 9-10, unidentified vandals broke windows and set the Agia Trapeza (altar) on fire, burning sacred items, in the Agios Haralambos Church. According to reports, this was the third church vandalized in Chalkios on the island of Chios within a week. In the Church of Panagia, a window was smashed and oil and candles were stolen and a fire was set in the Church of Agios Petros and Pavlos.

Desecration and Vandalism of Tonnay-Charente Church: Tabernacle Broken Open; Statue Decapitated

November 9, 2019, France

Just before an evening Mass on November 9th, unidentified vandals entered the Tonnay-Charente church and tore open the tabernacle of the altar of the Virgin Mary, breaking the doors. The consecrated hosts in the ciborium were thrown to the ground and the glass container holding a host consecrated for adoration was stolen. In addition, crosses were reversed and chairs and statues were broken, including one depicting St. Joseph holding the baby Jesus, which was decapitated by the perpetrators. The Bishop said, this was "desecration, not burglary."

Two Fires Set in Lleida Church

November 8, 2019, Spain

Unknown perpetrators set fire to an altar in the church of Sant Joan in Lleida (Lérida) on November 7th. The rector, Joan Ramon Ezquerra, reported that a day earlier, three bouquets around the church had also been set on fire. Mass could not be celebrated in the central nave and had to be moved to the chapel.

Second investigation: Finnish Christian MP investigated for 2004 pamphlet on homosexuality

November 5, 2019, Finland

On November 4th, the Finnish State General Prosecutor issued a press release announcing the launch of a pre-trial investigation into the publication and distribution of the 2004 pamphlet "Mieheksi ja naiseksi hän heidät loi" (in English, “Male and female He created them”), authored by Päivi Räsänen, the Finnish politician investigated by the police for a tweet in June 2019 quoting the Bible on the issue of homosexuality. Although the pamphlet was printed 15 years ago, it will be included in the case against the Christian politician because it is still “available online.” Räsänen, who served in the past as Minister of the Interior of the government of Finland, risks being accused under Section 10 of the Criminal Code of Finland for “ethnic agitation,” a crime punishable with a fine or prison.

Victory for Christian Refugees at European Court of Human Rights

November 5, 2019, France

Victory in international court bolsters protections for Christians who face life-threatening persecution in home countries.