Statue of St. Francis Vandalized with Motor Oil

Country: Germany

Date of incident: August 1, 2025


Unknown individuals poured used motor oil over a stone statue of St. Francis in front of the village chapel at Markstetten. The act has caused widespread shock in the community.

During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, the statue of Saint Francis located in front of the village chapel in Markstetten (Neumarkt district) was deliberately doused with used cooking oil. Roswitha Spangler, president of the Markstetten Village Community Association, said, “It was a shock when we saw that this morning.”

The act has caused widespread dismay in the community. Christian Graf, mayor of Hohenfels, expressed his outrage: “It’s pathetic when someone does something like this.” The oil soaked deeply into the stone, leaving prominent dark stains, and it remains uncertain whether the statue can be restored.

The Parsberg police have opened an investigation and are asking for information to identify those responsible.

Source: Mittelbayerische

Symbolic Image: By tomsramekjr on Pixabay