All cases
Abbess of German Benedictine Convent Charged for Granting Church Asylum
July 20, 2020, GermanyThe abbess of the German Benedictine convent Maria Frieden in Kirchschletten faced criminal charges for granting church asylum. The trial against Mother Mechthild Thürmer before the Bamberg District Court was scheduled for July 31. The abbess of the monastery in Upper Franconia had taken in an Eritrean woman in fall of 2018, who was to be deported to Italy. She disputed a penalty order for "aiding and abetting an illegal stay", combined with a fine of 2,500 euros, arguing for freedom of conscience.
Anarchist Tags on the Church of Saint Clement in Nantes
July 19, 2020, FranceOn July 19th, just a day after the fire at the cathedral in Nantes, the priest of the Fraternité Saint-Pierre serving the Saint-Clément church in Nantes discovered anarchist tags sprayed on the front of the church.
Armed Man Yelling "Allahu Akbar" Heading Toward Church Stopped by Motorist
July 19, 2020, FranceA 38-year-old motorist stopped a man who was heading towards a church in Blanc-Mesnil, armed with a loaded machine gun, shouting "Allahu akbar."
Vandalism of Christ of Calvary on l’Île d’Arz
July 19, 2020, FranceUnknown perpetrators broke the Christ of Calvary of Grèavo on the l’île d’Arz during the night of July 19th to 20th. The Christ figure was knocked off the large public crucifix and broken into several pieces. "A silly act, a sacrilege," reacts Christophe Stener, a local historian and resident. "Human stupidity has no limits. Whether one is a Christian or not, this act is revolting." The gendarmerie are investigating.
Window Front of Church in Bad Soden Smashed by Vandals
July 19, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators destroyed the glass front of a church in Bad Soden on July 19th. The vandals smashed the glass panes of the Catholic Church in Salinenstraße, causing property damage amounting to several thousand euros. The police are investigating and asked for witness statements.
Arson Investigation after Fire Heavily Damaged Nantes Cathedral
July 18, 2020, FranceIn the early morning hours of July 18th, a fire began in the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, in the heart of Nantes. Passers-by saw flames behind the rosette window of the cathedral and alerted emergency services a little before 8:00 am. When firefighters arrived, they discovered "a violent fire at the level of the organ located behind the rosette window." Upon further investigation, it appeared that the fire had started in three locations: one fire had started near the organ, while the other two were at the other end of the cathedral.
Theft and Vandalism of Tabernacle in San Giovanni Church
July 18, 2020, ItalyDuring the night of July 18th unknown vandals smashed the tabernacle under the image of Mary in the side altar of San Giovanni church in Trieste. Additionally, two valuable brass candlesticks were stolen. Don Sergio Fransin discovered the vandalism and theft and immediately reported the crime to the police.
Satanists Suspected of Theft and Desecration in St. Johann Baptist Church in Krefeld
July 18, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators have stolen the golden door of the tabernacle, a monstrance stance and money from an donation box. The tabernacle door was forcefully torn out and the donation box vandalized and money stolen. The community of St. Johann Baptist Church suspects satanists to be the perpetrators, who use the stolen objects for satanic rituals, because the golden altar cross was not stolen, which speaks against just a monetary motivation.
Statue Of Virgin Mary Mutilated at the Miraculous Spring of Our Lady of Banneux
July 17, 2020, BelgiumPilgrams to the miraculous spring of our Lady of Banneux discovered the severe mutilation of the statue of the Virgin Mary, which is situated above the spring. It is speculated that the vandalism took place in the week before July 17th. The face of the statue has been particularly mutilated therefore, the statue was replaced by an exact replica.
New Same-Sex Marriage Law in Northern Ireland Threatens Freedom of Conscience
July 17, 2020, United KingdomThe Parliament of Northern Ireland passed a new marriage law for same-sex couples, which has two implications for the church and Christian business owners. The law prohibits private business to deny service to same-sex couples arguing for freedom of conscience. Additionally, the new legislation allows same-sex couples of faith to have religious wedding ceremonies in church or other religious settings if all parties agree.