Two separate waves of vandalism occured on the same day at San Rocco Church in Lodi. Three statues were damaged and a crucifix was thrown down but did not sustain any damage. The act followed similar attacks a few months ago and forces the parish to consider taking further security measures.
San Rocco Church in Borgo, Lodi, suffered another act of sacrilegious vandalism, following similar attacks earlier in July. During the latest incident, three statues were damaged: the representations of the Sacred Heart, Saint Anthony, and the ancient wooden figure of Saint Rocco, dating back to the 15th century.
“The Friday before, around 5 p.m., a local man informed me that two statues inside the church, those of the Sacred Heart and Saint Anthony, had been knocked over and damaged,” explained parish priest don Angelo Manfredi. “That same Friday, while I was occupied with a marriage record, a staff member called to inform me that the Saint Rocco statue had also been damaged. So someone, after causing the initial damage, entered the church and went after the Saint Rocco statue as well.”
Although the crucifix was also knocked over, it “did not sustain any damage.” Don Manfredi has stated that the parish will adopt “appropriate security measures” to prevent future attacks, emphasising the repeated nature of these sacrilegious incidents.