Statues of Mary and Joseph Smashed in Vandalism Attack
Notre-Dame Church in Surgères, France, was targeted in an act of vandalism in which two religious statues were broken and the church organ damaged.
An act of vandalism was reported at the Church of Notre-Dame in Surgères after damage was discovered inside the building last night. Two statues, depicting Mary and Joseph, were smashed and found lying on the floor. In addition, the church organ was sprayed with water, damaging its pipes and affecting its functionality.
Officers from the gendarmerie attended the scene to carry out initial findings and collect fingerprint evidence. The local mayor strongly condemned the incident, stating: "I condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms. Attacking a place of worship is an attack on a symbol, our heritage and the values of respect on which our collective life is based". He filed a formal complaint with the gendarmerie the following morning and announced that he would attend the beginning of Sunday Mass to show support for the parish community.
In a statement, Bishop Pierre-Antoine Bozo condemned "this act of vandalism in this church dear to the parish community, but also to all the inhabitants of the commune whose heritage the Notre-Dame church is".
The church will remain closed for the day to allow for restoration and repair work.
Source: helenefm, lhebdo17, sudouest
Photo: helenefm