All cases

Blasphemous Writings on Wall of Donoratico Church

April 13, 2022, Italy

The walls of the Santa Maria church of Donoratico were defaced with blasphemous writings on April 13th. Words such as "Don't pray to a Lord, shoot the banker" were written along with various skulls and masks. The priest Don Antony, reported the crime to the Carabinieri but did not know who did it.

Baptists and Other Religious Minorities Face Persecution in Russian - Occupied Ukraine

April 13, 2022, Ukraine

As predicted, religious minorities have experienced increasing persecution in the Russian occupied areas of Ukraine. According to reports, Baptists seemed to be especially targeted by Russian forces. Elijah Brown, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, said that in his most recent visit to Ukraine, he was informed that "Baptist leaders needed to evacuate as the security officers had credible information that the invaders intentionally intended to target Baptist pastors in those areas."

Several Sacred Objects Stolen from Aragona Church

April 12, 2022, Italy

At some point between last November and March of 2022, chalices, copes, pyxes and stoles were taken from the church of Our Lady of the Rosary in Piazza Umberto I in Aragona. The theft of these sacred objects was investigated by the police but there was little information which makes it difficult to discover who may be the thief and where the items are.

Sacrilegious Theft at Church in Cortona

April 11, 2022, Italy

A thief, whose identity remains unknown, stole a rosary held in the hands of a statue of Madonna and took a cross above the statue's head. This took place in the Lower Church of San Marco in Cortona which has no money to replace the stolen items. Andrea Rossi, who is the custodian of the church, hopes that people will leave donations so that the sacred objects can be bought again.

Perpetrators Try to Stop Palm Sunday Procession in El Vendrell

April 11, 2022, Spain

Five young North Africans in El Vendrell were bothering people during a Palm Sunday procession in hopes that they could prevent the religious event from happening. The local police were notified of the attacks and arrested two 24-year-old individuals who were accused of an attack against the law. The police were searching for the other three.

Priest and Parish People Attacked in Rome

April 9, 2022, Italy

Don Guido Panella, the priest at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Marsala, was physically and verbally attacked by a homeless woman on April 9th. Before this, a homeless man had entered the church and was yelling at everyone until the priest gave him a euro and he left. He then returned with two others, including the woman, and they began shouting at people and the woman even slapped the priest. Two police officers then arrived on the scene at which point the men left but the woman remained and was taken by the carabinieri.

Decorations in Tauberbischofsheim Stolen

April 9, 2022, Germany

Shortly before Easter, around the 9. April, decorations for the first communion were stolen in the Tauberbischofsheim church of St. Martin. Those attending the event were shocked when the decorations, which had been placed in front of the altar, were gone. The decorations had a symbolic value for the celebration and the parents were confused as why to these were taken.

Man Plants Explosive Device during Mass in Toulouse

April 8, 2022, France

A man was arrested on April 8th for planting an explosive device at the Saint-Etienne cathedral in Toulouse during Mass. The man, who has a criminal record, dropped a package in front of the altar then pushed the sacristan, said something, and left. The explosive was never fired but the congregation was evacuated to make sure no one got injured.

Cross Stolen from Church in Mainz

April 8, 2022, Germany

On Friday the 8th of April, a cross made of bronze was stolen from an Augustinian church in Mainz. A nun noticed that the cross was missing from the altar and, upon reviewing video, the police were able to recognize a 51 year old man who had previously stolen goods. They were then able to locate the cross, along with three alter candles, and return them to the church. The man was convicted of the theft.

Priest Robbed during Service in Warsaw

April 7, 2022, Poland

A priest in Białołęka, Warsaw, was robbed while celebrating mass in an in an act that showed complete disrespect for the religious events of the church. On April 7th, a man and woman entered the church during the service and took the priest's phone. After being contacted, the thieves agreed to return the phone but only for a sum of money. The priest contacted the police who were investigating the crime.

Russian Troops Commit Sacrilege at Chernihiv Cemetery in Ukraine

April 5, 2022, Ukraine

Russian troops vandalised a large cemetery near Mariupol on March 4th by repeatedly driving over crosses and tombstones with tanks. The necropolis is one of the largest in Europe and those who witnessed the event called it sacrilege. The cemetery was entirely destroyed in this unnecessary, sacrilegious, and inhumane destruction.

Statue of Madonna of Fatima Stolen from Cerreto Guidi Church

April 5, 2022, Italy

A meter-high painted wooden statue of the Madonna of Fatima, along with a small crucifix, was stolen from the Church of the Company in Cerreto Guidi. The sacrilegious theft happened Tuesday, April 7th and greatly upset the people of the town. The statue was of "great emotional value" to the town said archpriest, Father Alessandro Locatelli, and "the Christian people of Cerreto have been deprived of a dear image." The incident was reported to the local police station.

Molotov cocktail Thrown at Church in Muri-Gümligen

April 5, 2022, Switzerland

The Reformed Church in Muri-Gümligen was attacked with a Molotov cocktail on the night of April 6th. No one was injured but the property damage was high. The intent of the attack is somewhat unclear but since the church was lit up with blue and yellow lights, an anti-Ukraine motive was suggested. Whatever the case, a religious sight that is sacred to many was subjected to a hateful act.

"Death to Churches" Written on Church in Murcia

April 5, 2022, Spain

The Spanish police posted on Twitter that they identified the perpetrators who vandalised the parish centre in the Saint John district in Murcia. This was communicated on the 5th of April, together with a picture of the crime that shows the inscription "Muerte a las Iglesias" (Death to Churches) in red paint. After searching the vehicle of the perpetrators, they located spray paint cans of the same colour as the graffiti.

Arson at Church in Trinità

April 4, 2022, Italy

On April 4th, the Madonnina Church in Trinità was once again vandalised. This time, unknown perpetrators entered the church and set the prayer sheets and offering box alight. In the past, the church has been tagged with graffiti and a nearby bench was defaced. The mayor Ernesta Zucco said: “I wonder what they can have against this modest church. I have no more words but these facts cry out for justice. We really can't take it anymore."

Church in Zell Vandalised

April 4, 2022, Austria

The Evangelical church in Zell was vandalised by strangers on April 4th. A large window was smashed by an object of considerable size and shingles were torn off the façade. The Church filled a complaint and the police began an investigation with the hope that some DNA would be left on the shingles.

Church of Sant'Eligio Set Alight

April 4, 2022, Italy

The façade of the Church of Sant'Eligio in Napoli was once again scarred by fire on April 4th, less than three months since it happened last. The monumental sight, which youth set fire to, dates back to 1270 and would have experience even worse damage had a fire extinguisher not been nearby. These repeated acts of arson show the youths contempt for the church and its Christian practices.

Church in Vojvodina Vandalised With Threatening Graffiti

April 4, 2022, Serbia

A church in Novi-Banovitsa in Vojvodina, northern Serbia, was vandalised on 4 August. Unknown persons drew a line in orange paint around the Church of St Basil of Ostrog, built in neo-Byzantine style in 1991, and wrote the word "skulls" in Serbian on the bins at the entrance.

Two Churches Attacked with Eggs and Vandalism in Sprowston

April 3, 2022, United Kingdom

St. Mary and St. Margaret's Church in Sprowston were victims of vandalistic attacks on April 3rd. Police were investigating the act in which the intruders threw toys at the spotlight in the nave, broke eggs inside the building, smashed the organ, and tried to start a fire.

Drunk Russian Man Hits Ukrainian Catholic Priest in Hamburg

April 2, 2022, Germany

An intoxicated Russian man has physically attacked the pastor of a Ukrainian Catholic parish in Hamburg on the 2nd of April. According to the report, the man rang de door of the church, and after the priest opened it, he pushed the priest and hit him in the upper body. The priest was able to force the man out of the building and called the police. The Russian man also damaged a fence and a flower bed and stayed sitting on a bench until the police came.