22 Consecrated Host Thefts and Church Desecrations in Landes
Between May and August 2025, over twenty churches in the Landes region were desecrated by the theft of consecrated Hosts and sacred vessels, prompting a formal investigation by the Dax prosecutor’s office. The deliberate and selective targeting of the Eucharist constitutes a serious act of desecration in the Catholic context and indicates elements beyond financial motivation.
From May through August 2025, a series of sacrilegious incidents unfolded across the Landes department in southwestern France, where at least 22 churches were desecrated. Thieves forcibly opened tabernacles, stole ciboria, and in many cases removed consecrated Hosts—objects of profound spiritual significance to Catholics
The Diocese of Aire and Dax reported that the stolen items held no market value, suggesting motives beyond theft for profit. In response to the escalating attacks, the diocese issued a directive on June 10 instructing priests to leave tabernacles unlocked with the ciboriums removed to prevent further damage and desecration. The Dax prosecutor’s office launched a formal investigation, though the perpetrators and their motives—whether anti-religious or occult—remained unidentified. On September 1st 2025, several of the stolen items were found in a car and three people were arrested.
This is the list of churches in the article that have been desecrated since May in the Landes region, according to the Diocese of Aire and Dax:
Bélus: tabernacle broken into
Benquet: ciborium and hosts stolen
Campagne: attempt to open the tabernacle
Candresse: tabernacle broken into
Dax (church of Saint-Vincent-de-Xaintes): tabernacle broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Estibeaux: tabernacle broken into and hosts stolen
Josse: monstrance stolen
Laurède: ciborium and hosts overturned
Meilhan: attempted opening of the tabernacle
Montfort-en-Chalosse: two tabernacles broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Mugron: ciborium and hosts overturned
Narrosse: tabernacle broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Nerbis: tabernacle broken into
Pissos: damage to the Way of the Cross
Pomarez: tabernacle broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Saint-Lon-les-Mines: tabernacle broken into
Saint-Martin-d'Oney: ciborium and hosts stolen
Saint-Paul-lès-Dax: tabernacle broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Saugnac-et-Cambran: tabernacle broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Seyresse: tabernacle broken into, ciborium and hosts stolen
Sore: theft of a holy water font
Yzosse: tabernacle broken into
Sources: France Bleu, Statement of Bishop Souchu, Frontières.
Photo: X.