All cases

Statue of Virgin Mary Destroyed at the Grotto of Maupas

August 24, 2018, France

The acts of vandalism were discovered by a visitor who regularly comes to the grotto of Maupas (a replica of the grotto of Lourdes) to light candles. The face of the statue of the Virgin Mary was completely destroyed. The news spread quickly in the village and left many people dismayed and upset. The president of the association Saint-Ours, one of the organizations that manage the cave, has filed a complaint with the police.

Statue wearing Cross Vandalized

August 24, 2018, France

A small statue of a woman wearing a cross around her neck carved into a stone wall dating back to the 13th century was defaced. Workers building a bridge discovered the damage, the same day the mayor had ordered protection for the site. The face was completely disfigured and the bust and the cross necklace were marred. The municipality filed a complaint for property damage.

Fire Set in Mühlheim Church

August 23, 2018, Germany

On the 23rd of August, 2018, the chaplain of the church in Mühlheim discovered that unknown perpetrators had moved an umbrella stand into the vestibule of the church and set a fire in it. However, the fire was immediately extinguished and the only damage was to a carpet in the amount of 150 euros. The police opened an investigation.

Robbery at Church of Mondéjar

August 20, 2018, Spain

In the early hours of the 20th of August there was a robbery at the church Santa María Magdalena of Mondéjar. The parish priest discovered the theft when he went to the church the next morning to prepare for Mass. The thieves had entered the church through a side door after breaking the lock. They broke three other door locks until they were able to enter the sacristy. They left the sacristy looted and stole more than 400 euros as well as three large sacred artworks of bronze. The artifacts date back to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The civil guard was notified and investigated.

Statue of Virgin Mary and Child Decapitated in Noirmoutier

August 19, 2018, France

During the night of the 18th to 19th of August, the 3.5 meter public statue of the Virgin Mary and Child was decapitated. Residents were shocked and searched the nearby forest for the missing heads but found nothing. Parishioners were dismayed, as the statue has stood in the community since 1949. The priest, who called the incident violent and shocking, filed a complaint with the police.

At Least Five Pakistani Priests Denied Visas for World Meeting of Families in Ireland

August 19, 2018, Ireland

Christians from Pakistan and Iraq were denied visas to attend the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin, including at least 5 priests, due to "insufficient connections" to the event. A priest from Karachi received a letter rejecting his application in which the officer said there was "no evidence of a valid reason to travel to Ireland" and that the Catholic priest lacked "sufficient connection" to the World Meeting or to the Pope to justify attendance.

Church Facade Defaced with "W l'Islam"

August 18, 2018, Italy

The newly renovated wall of the Chiesa del Santissimo Rosario in the center of Avellino was defaced with "W I'Islam" in black paint. The parish priest reported the incident to the police who will investigate whether there were religious or political motives behind this act of vandalism.

Church in Badwell Ash Damaged by Pellets

August 18, 2018, United Kingdom

During the night between the 17th the 18th of August there was a spate of vandalism in west Suffolk. According to the police, the unknown perpetrator damaged St Mary's Church in the village Badwell Ash and several vehicles in the area. It is believed that the offender used an BB or pellet air rifle to smash the church windows as well as 12 vehicles parked in the village. The police continued their investigation.

Churches Close due to Vandalism

August 17, 2018, Germany

Three churches were closed in Euskirchen due to repeated vandalism. The Herz-Jesu-Kirche, the Martinskirche and the Kirche St. Matthias will only be opened for Mass for the rest of the summer holidays as a provisional measure. The altar of St. Martin's church was smeared with dog excrement and urine was found in the stoup for holy water. Parishioners were outraged and stunned by the closure of the churches. These incidents were a change from the regular drug use that the churches had seen for some time.

Church CCTV Damaged by Vandals

August 17, 2018, United Kingdom

Vandals damaged a CCTV camera from St. Mark's Parish Church in Raploch just one day after it was installed. The church had been subject to repeated acts of vandalism and a couple of CCTV cameras were installed in order to deter anti-social behavior. While one camera was damaged, the other cameras were already doing their job as they identified those responsible for the incident, enabling the police to trace them and take action.