All cases

Statue of Jesus stolen from Nativity Scene

January 2, 2024, France

In the church of Saint-Etienne de Faux-la-Montagne, the figure of the Christ Child was stolen from the crib of the nativity scene. The theft was discovered by the parish priest on 2 January.

Nativity scene Figures beheaded in Florence

January 2, 2024, Italy

Every year dozens of nativity scenes are set up along the Via dei Presepi. This Christmas, one of them was found with eight out of ten human figures decapitated, as it was reported by the police on January 2nd. The figures of the animals were also damaged. The incident has been described as a "sacrilegious surgical act". This event was also communicated on social media by the councillor, Susi Giglioli.

Arson attack on St John the Evangelist church

January 1, 2024, United Kingdom

Fire was set to St John the Evangelist church in Enfield. Forty firefighters were needed to extinguish the fire. It has been confirmed by the police that this was an arson attack. The fire started by the high altar and damaged stained-glass windows and artefacts.

Statue of Jesus from Nativity Scene Beheaded

January 1, 2024, Italy

On January 1st, unknown vandals smashed the statue of the Child Jesus in Gorla Maggiore, Italy, in broad daylight. Mayor Pietro Zappamiglio expressed "great sadness and bitterness at what has happened." It is hoped that the vandals were caught on church cameras.

Burglar robs church and damages valuable statue

January 1, 2024, Poland

On New Year's Day, a man stole money from a church in Sopot, Poland. During the robbery he broke a valuable figure worth more than 1,000 PLN.

Vandals smash 25 windows at church

January 1, 2024, Germany

25 windows of St John's Church in Salzhausen were damaged by vandals at the beginning of January. Unknown persons had smashed the windows with fist-sized rocks and caused damage of 42,000 euros.

Sacred objects stolen from Kassel church

December 31, 2023, Germany

Sacred objects were stolen from the chapel of the Apostles of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Kassel, Germany, on 31 December, according to police. The thieves also caused damage to the church. The identity of the burglars is unknown and the police are still looking for witnesses.

The statue of the Infant Jesus was decapitated in Alliste

December 31, 2023, Italy

It was reported that on New Year's Eve, unknown perpetrators vandalised the nativity scene of the parish church of San Quintino in Alliste, targeting the statue of the infant Jesus. The parish priest commented: "An outburst by our children that should make us reflect".

Nativity Scene Vandalised with Blue Paint

December 31, 2023, Germany

On January 4, a nativity scene was vandalised with blue paint outside the parish church of Großenbach-Hünfeld, Germany. The local community is shocked about the incident.

Statue of St John of Nepomuk repeatedly vandalised

December 31, 2023, Poland

On the night of 31 December to 1 January, unknown perpetrators destroyed a statue of St John of Nepomuk on Odmętowa Street in Kraków. This is the second such incident in a short period of time. A similar incident occurred in April 2023, just before Easter.