All cases
Bust of Pope John XXIII vandalised in Venetico
July 15, 2026, ItalyAccording to reports from 15 July 2026, a bust of Pope John XXIII in Venetico was deliberately vandalised and defaced by unknown perpetrators. The attack damaged the public monument dedicated to the Catholic saint and prompted condemnation from local authorities.
Vandals set fire to liturgical book at a church in Kelheim
July 15, 2026, GermanyOn 15 July 2026, unknown perpetrators vandalised the Holy Cross Church in Kelheim by damaging the interior and setting a liturgical book on fire. The burned lectionary was rendered unusable, causing damage to an object used during Catholic worship. Reports indicate that this incident is part of a series of attacks against Christian places of worship seen in Germany in the past months.
Repeated Sacrilegious Thefts Prompt Concern of Bishop
July 14, 2026, ItalyDuring the night of 13 to 14 July 2026, a sacrilegious theft occurred at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Porto Sant'Elpidio, when a tabernacle was stolen which contained the ciborium of consecrated hosts. The theft of the Eucharist constitutes a profanation that affected the local Christian community and marked the second incident of this kind in the Archdiocese of Fermo in two weeks.
Suspected Arson damages parish building at Munkshöjden Church
July 14, 2026, FinlandPolice are investigating a suspected arson attack at the parish building of Munkshöjden Church in Helsinki which occurred on 14 July 2026. Firefighters took hours to extinguish the extensive fire, preventing it from spreading to the church building itself, however the parish hall sustained extensive damage.
Eggs thrown at church destroy windows
July 14, 2026, GermanyBetween 10 and 14 July 2026, unknown perpetrators damaged two leaded-glass windows of a church in the main street of Neuenkirchen. According to reports, the perpetrators threw eggs at the church building, destroying six glass windows in the process.
Man arrested after a spate of vandalism forces Cornwall churches to close
July 13, 2026, United KingdomReported on 13 July, a man has been charged in connection with alleged vandalism at various churches in Mevagissey, including damage to St Peter's Church between 8 to 9 July that forced it to suspend its long-standing open-door policy. The incidents affected places of Christian worship and have restricted public access to more than one church in the area, impacting the local Christian community and pointing to a broader problem of offences committed in places of worship in the United Kingdom.
Repeated vandalism at St Ruper Parish Church disrupts religious practice
July 13, 2026, GermanySt Rupert Parish Church in Amerang has been targeted in repeated acts of vandalism in which all votive candles were damaged and the holy water was contaminated with candle wax. The incident disrupted religious practices at the church and prompted a police investigation, affecting the local Christian community.
Cross Stolen From Church in Vejle
July 13, 2026, DenmarkAn iron cross and other items were stolen from St. Nikolai Church in Vejle. Thanks to witnesses, police identified and arrested the suspect.
Rheine-Hauenhorst Church the target of repeated acts of vandalism
July 13, 2026, GermanyReported on 13 July 2026, St Mariä Heimsuchung Church in Rheine-Hauenhorst was targeted by vandals, marking another incident affecting the parish within a short period of time. The repeated damage to the church prompted the parish to temporarily close the building while repairs were carried out.
Assault on Christian asylum seeker after wearing a cross in Regensburg accommodation
July 13, 2026, GermanyAccording to a police report that became publicly available in July 2026, a Christian asylum seeker was assaulted at an asylum accommodation in Regensburg after being confronted about wearing a cross necklace. The report describes an attack that occurred in April 2024 and states that the dispute was only secondarily religious in nature, an assessment that has drawn criticism given that the confrontation reportedly began because the victim was wearing a Christian cross.