All cases

Chapel of San Vicente Vandalised Again

July 30, 2023, Spain

On the 30th of July, the chapel of San Vicente de O Grove was vandalised once more. Its door was forcibly opened, all the windows in the sacristy were shattered, and a broken flower pot, which did not belong to the chapel, was left there. Parish priest Juan Ventura Martínez filed a complaint with the Civil Guard following the incident.

63-Year-Old Sets two Bibles on Fire on Church Altar

July 30, 2023, Germany

On the 30th of July, a 63-year-old man set fire to two Bibles on the altar of a church in the Ravensburg district. Firefighters intervened to restrain the man before the police arrived and arrested him. Due to the firefighter's prompt intervention, the fire did not spread to the church or its furniture.

Cross broken off a chapel

July 30, 2023, France

The cross of the Saint Maur chapel, a 17th-century building located in the Brotonne forest in Vatteville-la-Rue, was broken by vandals at the end of July 2023. The roof was damaged and the cross broken, probably ‘by stones being thrown’, said Jacques Charron, the local mayor.

Patostreamer livestreams criminal action in church

July 30, 2023, Poland

On July 30, 2023, Szymon Besser, a well-known live broadcaster broke into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John Paul II in Toruń. He recorded the whole incident live and broadcast it on the internet.

Monstrance and Money stolen from Church

July 29, 2023, Germany

On July 29, unknown perpetrators broke into the parish church in Fulda and stole the monstrance. They also stole some money.

Severe Vandalism in the Church of Notre-Dame in Lencloitre

July 29, 2023, France

On July 29, the church of Notre-Dame de Lencloître was the target of acts of vandalism by unknown perpetrators. The vandals broke into the tabernacle, threw the ciborium and hosts to the ground and broke the candles. They also left tendentious drawings on dusty chairs. The parish priest has reported the incident to the police.

Vandalism to Cemetery and Church

July 28, 2023, Germany

On July 27, the cemetery in Rimbach has been vandalised. Grave lights were knocked over, holy water containers tore out, flowers were bent over, etc. According to the media, there have already been repeated acts of vandalism and damage to property in the church in Rimbach throughout 2023. Coat hooks were also torn from the church benches, books were thrown into the holy water, wax was poured into the holy water and similar acts were carried out.

Monstrance with Host Stolen from Fulda Parish Church

July 28, 2023, Germany

Unknown perpetrators stole a monstrance with a consecrated host from the city parish church. The theft, discovered by the sexton during the church's closing on July 28, involved the breaking of a pane glass to access the sacred item. The case was reported to the police who started investigating it as a serious case of theft.

Church of the Madonna dei Farauli Targeted by Vandals

July 28, 2023, Italy

On the 28 of July, the Church of the Madonna dei Farauli in Sternatia was attacked by vandals. An unknown perpetrator(s) threw stones at the window on the entrance door of the church, destroying the glass.

Several religious statues stolen

July 28, 2023, France

A recent and rather large statue of Mary of Fatima was stolen from the Notre Dame church in Niort, in the Deux-Sèvres diocese of Poitiers, on 28 July. However, this is not an isolated case.