Inverted Cross, Scattered Ash and Property Damage in Lutheran Church
Vandals targeted the Lutheran Church in Bad Marienberg, Westerwald, Germany, overturning furniture, scattering ash, and inverting a wooden cross, causing damage to both property and religious symbols.
The incident occurred at the Luteran Church in Bad Marienberg between 10.30 am on 13 January and 5.30 pm on 14 January 2026, when unknown individuals gained access to the building. Church officials discovered that a wooden cross, created by local youths for a church event, had been turned upside down. Furniture was overturned, a vase broken, and ash scattered across surfaces throughout the interior.
The damage affected both the physical property of the church and its symbolic elements, as the inverted cross is understood as a desecration of a religious object.
At the time of reporting, authorities had not identified or apprehended any suspects, and it remained unclear whether a formal criminal complaint would be pursued.
Sources: kirche-bad-marienberg.de, Kurier, Radio Westerwald
Image: Lara Schütz, kirche-bad-marienberg.de