All cases

Filtered by: Desecration

Catholic Cemetery of Buxy Wrecked

September 13, 2011, France

Twenty graves and tombstones have been desecrated in the small village of Buxy in Burgundy. The 2,000 residents of Buxy and their mayor are shocked and incredulous, the police has opened an investigation.

Vandalism at St. Ann's in Ascheberg

July 28, 2011, Germany

Unknown perpetrators urinated into a Holy Water vessel of St. Ann Catholic church, in Ascheberg. They also damaged organ pipes, several apostle statues and a censer. The damage amounts to several thousand Euros. The police has not yet convicted the vandals and does not rule out that they are a gang of teenagers.

Cemetery of Saint-Lys Desecrated

June 30, 2011, France

The cemetery of La Moutonne of Saint-Lys in the department of Haute-Garonne has been vandalized in the night from Thursday to Friday, June 30th, 2011. Memorial plaques were lying on the ground, damaged. A bench of the cemetery had been split into pieces, urn compartments had been opened and no less than twenty graves had received stroke of large stones flung against them, thus breaking plaques, ceramics and flower pots.

Vandalism in the Cemetery of Belleville-sur-Meuse

June 30, 2011, France

Fifteen Christian graves were damaged in the cemetery of Belleville-sur-Meuse and many crosses and statues broken into pieces. Ashes of three deceased have been scattered. Several crosses, marbles and plaques were broken into pieces and scattered on the ground. Statues of Christ were wrenched and let to lay on the floor.

200-year-old Greek Orthodox Chapel Demolished “By Accident” in Northern Cyprus

May 26, 2011, Cyprus

The 200-year-old Greek Orthodox Chapel of Saint Thekla in the village of Vokolida, Cyprus was demolished, allegedly by accident. The demolition was condemned publicly by the Turkish Cypriot authorities and two individuals were arrested for destroying the church and a promise was made to rebuild it. Nevertheless, due to several reasons, this has not yet been performed.

Attacks on the Parish Church of Navalcarnero, Madrid

May 10, 2011, Spain

The parish church of “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” suffered great damage on Sunday May 8, as several religious images made of plaster were destroyed. Local police arrested the assailant, a 35-year-old male local resident, who had made previous threats toward the church. As stated by Pastor Marcos Fermin, this is not only a financial problem for him - but bears also great emotional pain.

Church Vandalised in Echirolles

April 24, 2011, France

The church of Saint-Jean-Bosco of Echirolles has been victim of desecration. The main Crucifix was found broken on the floor. Missals had been flung to the ground and benches damaged and turned over. Apparently, the perpetrators had entered the church by forcing a side door. No theft has been reported.

Catholic Church Vandalised on Good Thursday

April 21, 2011, Turkey

Two men armed with swords and knives broke into a Catholic Church in Adana last Thursday. After learning that the priest was not in the church, the 26 year old aggressors proceeded to vandalise the property.

Assault on the Church of Santa Maria Magdalena de Ciempozuelos (Madrid)

April 14, 2011, Spain

On a Thursday morning a group of vandals broke into the Church of Santa Maria Magdalena, destroying the altar shrine and the crown of the Virgin. The church suffered great damage, and the content of the collection box was stolen.

Anti-Chapel Demonstration in Valencia Called For But Failed

March 24, 2011, Spain

After anti-chapel demonstrations had taken place at Computense University in Madrid and Barcelona University, students of the University of Valencia called to march against chapel service at the Valencia School of Medicine. At the end, the rally did not take place.

Fire Set to Catholic Church in Barcelona

March 23, 2011, Spain

During the night of March 22th, early morning of March 23th, 2011, a group of radical feminists started a fire at the doors of San Vicenç Church, in the Sarriá neighbourhood, in Barcelona. According to the priest Manuel Valls this was the fifth attack against the church in the last three years.

Vandalism in Madrid Church

March 15, 2011, Spain

The Ascensión del Señor Church, located in the Madrid suburb of Carabanchel, a working class neighborhood, has suffered the loss of their most precious sacred items, the chalice with the Eucharist and the Holy Oils. The Church, build 60 years ago in a poor vicinity, has no item of value, and "the burglars knew about it", affirms Francisco Pérez, the church Pastor. Fr. Perez adds: "They only took the most precious treasure for our community, the body of Christ".

University Chapel Desecration at Complutense University in Madrid

March 11, 2011, Spain

On March 11, 2011, Paula Nieto, the President of the Students Union at the Complutense University in Madrid, reported incidents at the Moncloa campus law school chapel in a radio interview. According to Nieto, several students locked themselves in the chapel, smoked weed and drank beer, while making statements against the Catholic Church. Nieto argues the attacks come from an ultra-left student group named Contrapoder.

Desecration of University Chapel

March 10, 2011, Spain

At Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) a group of 50 young people stormed the chapel of the Somosaguas university campus to protest against the Catholic Church.

Statue of Mary, Mother of Jesus, Destroyed in Church

February 20, 2011, Liechtenstein

Unknown perpetrators have destroyed a statue of the Virgin Mary by pulling it from the altar in a church in Schaan / Liechtenstein.

Church Partially Burned, Religious Symbols Put on Fire

January 16, 2011, France

A Christian Church building in Hérouville-Saint-Clair, the outskirts of Caen, was vandalized at about 6 am on a Sunday morning. The Church of St. Francis, partially burned, cannot not accommodate the faithful until rebuild.

Church Shattered and Partially Burned

January 1, 2011, France

On Saturday January 1st between 12 a.m. and 3 p.m. the church of Montfermeil was severely damaged and partially burned. According to sources, a group of individuals forced and broke the door to the place of worship with the help of a car. They then set fire to a bunch of paper that was inside the church. Thus, three additional rooms, including the room used for worship of children, were damaged and must now be rebuilt.

Parish Several Times Severly Attacked by Muslim Youth

December 30, 2010, France

Faithful of the parish St John in Avignon are being annoyed, often during the mass service, by insults and agressions, thefts, attempts of arson, and even a car bomb left by Muslim youth. The little community of Christians in a city which hosts an arabic-moslem majority begins to feel afraid of praying together. The parish priest understands that there is a "startling code of silence both for media and politics about the issue".

Steady Increase of Desecrating Acts in French Cemeteries

October 12, 2010, France

Ongoing: A report of the Gendarmerie Nationale underlines the fact that most desecrations since 2005 have been aimed at Christian cemeteries and other Christian places of worship.

Vandalism in Austrian Church Building

September 29, 2010, Austria

Repeated vandalism including defecation committed by youth in church building in Upper Austria.