All cases
Priest memorial Plaque vandalized in Italy
October 3, 2022, ItalyOn the 3rd of October it was reported that unknown persons vandalised the memorial plaque of Don Michele Grella. He was an important parish priest of the San Ciro church. According to the news outlet, the church in Viale Italia has been the target of vandals lately.
Theft of stained glass window in historic church UK
October 3, 2022, United KingdomOn the 1st of October, unknown thieves targeted the St. Nicholas Church in Baddesley Ensor. They have stolen the historic stained glass windows that were at the side of the church. The Warwickshire Police are investigating the case. For now, the windows had to be boarded up.
Extreme Vandalism to Saint-Joseph Chapel in France
October 3, 2022, FranceDuring the week of the 3rd of October, the Saint-Joseph chapel in Saint-Pol-de-Léon was vandalised by unknown perpetrators. The door was smashed with an axe and the cupboards were searched. The perpetrators also broke windows, dishes and kitchenware. Some electronic devices were stolen and the library was ransacked. On top of that, inside the tabernacle, the vandals smashed crucifixes and other sacred symbols. A case has been filed with the police.
22-year Old Man Strikes and Spits a Woman Inside the Church
October 2, 2022, GermanyOn Sunday 2nd October, a 22-year-old man entered the church in Würzburg and lit a zigarrette inside the church. When a 59-year-old woman approached him and reprimanded him for his behaviour, he suddenly struck her and then spat on her. The young man then ran away and is being searched by the police for physical aggression and hurting religious sentiments.
Bleach thrown at an image of the Virgin of the Rosary during a procession in Spain
October 2, 2022, SpainOn the Sunday night of October the 2nd, an unidentified person threw bleach from a balcony at the image of the Virgin of the Rosary when the statue was in procession near the Cathedral. The Local Police were immediately informed and are trying to identify the perpetrator of this hate crime.
A Statue of the Virgin Mary torn down in Spain
October 2, 2022, SpainA statue of the Virgin Mary was thrown into the garden of the parish of San Miguel Arcángel in Las Rozas, Madrid, on the night of the 1st to the 2nd of October. The parish priest, José Antonio Buceta Toro, denounced the act on Sunday morning and informed the police.
Student threatens to set church on fire in France
October 2, 2022, FranceOn the 2nd of October, a student was arrested in Montpellier after threatening to set fire to the church of Saint-François d'Assise. She said that she could not stand the noise of the church bells. The woman is said to have stormed into the church at the time of service (around 11.30 am) and threatened to set fire to the church, referencing what happened at Notre Dame in Paris. Given the aggressive behaviour towards the parish volunteers, she has been banned from entering the church.
Burglars Steal Chalices of Great Sentimental Value in Emmerich
October 2, 2022, GermanyThe Holy Spirit Church in Emmerich was targeted by burglars around the 2nd of October. According to the report, they stole chalices that have a low material value but were very important to the parish community. Burglars broke into the sacristy of the Church and opened the safe, from which they took one chalice that belonged to a Pastor who had passed away, Ps Lambert, and three other chalices from 1960s. There is no trace of the perpetrators.
Bleach thrown on the image of Mary
October 2, 2022, SpainOn the Sunday night of October the 2nd, an unidentified person threw bleach from a balcony at the image of the Mary of the Rosary when the statue was in procession near the Cathedral in Jaen.
Historical silver chalice from the stolen from church in Cambridge
October 1, 2022, United KingdomSometime between September 25 and October 1, a silver chalice worth thousands of pounds was stolen from a village church in Cambridgeshire. According to the sources, the chalice is believed to date back to the 16th century. It was kept in the All Saints and St Andrews Church, where thieves broke in and took the chalice from the safe. The police have been notified and are running investigations.