All cases

Birmingham charity worker arrested for praying 'in her mind' near an abortion facility

December 20, 2022, United Kingdom

ADF UK reported that a charity volunteer has been arrested and charged with four counts after telling the police that she “might” be praying silently in her mind, after being questioned by them over why she was standing inside an abortion facility’s censorship zone. The arrest and charges took place as authorities consider criminalising prayer near abortion facilities nationwide in the new Public Order Bill.

Church of Norway asked to remove crosses from cemeteries and chapels as Human-Ethical Association finds them 'threatening'

December 19, 2022, Norway

In December 2022, the Church of Norway was asked by the local branch of the Human-Ethical Association (HEF) to remove the crosses on chapels and cemeteries as it finds them to be "threatening". The HEF advocates for more "neutrality" in public space.

Satanic Vandalic Attack on a Church in Golino

December 19, 2022, Switzerland

Between the 18th and 18th of December, unknown vandals tagged the walls of the church of San Giorgio in Golino, Canton of Ticino, with satanic and anarchist symbology in black paint. A complaint has already been made by the parish. The damage was noticed by the sacristan the next morning.

Saint-Roch's church in Paris Defaced with Hateful Graffiti

December 19, 2022, France

On 19 December several tags with insults, anarchist and nazi symbols appeared on several doors of Saint Roch's church in the centre of Paris. "A few days before Christmas, scandalous inscriptions were left on the church of Saint-Roch", wrote the mayor of Paris, Ariel Weil. He commented that a complaint had been lodged at the police and that the cleaning of the building had started.

Vandals Throw Flower Pots Through The Windows of a Church in Egham

December 18, 2022, United Kingdom

Between the 18th and 19th of December, an unknown perpetrator destroyed several windows of the St. John of Rochester Catholic church in Egham Hythe. The perpetrator smashed the windows by throwing flower pots through them. The shattered glass spread over the floor and the incident was discovered by a church volunteer, Anne-do Bauchot. She and other church members said they were "heartbroken" by seeing this attack. Also, because of this, the church was not able to hold their traditional Christmas Eve service.

Man Arrested After Destroying Nativity Scene with Hammer

December 17, 2022, Spain

A video was uploaded on Youtube on the 17. December of a man that destroys a Nativity Scene with a hammer in the Spanish city of Calahorra. He has already been arrested by the police.

18-year-olds Climb on the Saint-Maclou Church's Roof and shove down Gargoyles

December 17, 2022, France

On the evening of January 17, it was reported that two 18-year-olds climbed up the roof of the Saint-Maclou Church in Rouen. Once they were there, they pushed down the church's gargoyles. Their motives were unclear and authorities also reported that the men were heavily intoxicated. From the gargoyles that were thrown, at least one was destroyed and several others were damaged.

Editor prosecuted for expressing Catholic teaching on same-sex unions

December 16, 2022, France

The editor-in-chief of the French Catholic news site Renaissance Catholique, Jean-Pierre Maugendre, has been acquitted after accusations of inciting "discrimination against LGBT people". The text published merely reaffirmed established Catholic teaching on the matter. The court found him not guilty.

16th Century Church Looted in Kosovo

December 16, 2022, Kosovo

Amid the new tensions of December 2022 between Serbians and Albanians in Kosovo, it was reported on Serbian news that ethnic Albanians looted several Serbian houses and one church: "Residents of the village of Bogoševac near Prizren said that Albanians had looted several Serbian houses. The local population lost everything - from equipment to personal belongings. The church of St. Nicholas, built in the 16th century, was also looted. In 2022, the highest number of attacks on the Serbian population of Kosovo and Metohija was recorded".

Good news: German court rules that the ban on worship services during pandemic was illegal

December 16, 2022, Germany

A German court in Minden has declared that the "decision to ban worship services was illegal" as "the measure was 'disproportional', not founded in the law for infection prevention and violated the freedom of religion severely." The case referred to the total ban on public worship passed by the municipal council of Lage, a small town in the state of Lower Saxony, during Easter 2021.