All cases

Relic of St John Bosco Stolen

June 2, 2017, Italy

The urn containing St John Bosco’s brain was stolen from the Salesian Basilica of Castelnuovo Don Bosco in the Piedmont region of Italy. The Archbishop of Turin, Bishop Cesare Nosiglia, has condemned the theft and urged return of the relic.

Rome Bus Stops the Target of Blasphemous Images

June 1, 2017, Italy

Unknown perpetrators placed offensive and obscene posters inside publicity screens of the Roman transport company ATAC on June 1, 2017. One poster, called Immaculata Conceptio - In Vitro was a depiction of the Virgin Mary holding a baby, presumably Jesus Christ, with her hand on another woman's thigh, implying that they were a couple who used in vitro fertilization to conceive the child. Another poster, entitled Ecce Homo Erectus, shows an obscene image of Jesus Christ with a child.

Several Cemeteries Vandalized across France

May 31, 2017, France

Between May 24th and May 31st, 2017, four cemeteries in France have been vandalized. The cemeteries have had their graves, including Christian graves, desecrated, crosses, vases and grave plaques destroyed to various degrees. Each cemetery has had their own suspects and three people have been identified and questioned by the local police, two cemeteries suspects remain unknown.

Orthodox Chapel Vandalized

May 30, 2017, France

Father Archimandrite Amphilokios of the Orthodox Monastery of Saint Michael in Marseille reported an act of vandalism to the French Observatory. An image of the cross which was mounted on the monastery’s wall was torn. The community reacted by posting a sign condemning the act.

Swedish Pro-Life Midwives Fined

May 29, 2017, Sweden

Ellinor Grimmark and Linda Steen are two pro-life midwives who challenged their employment termination cases in court. Grimmark's case was taken to the Labor Court where she lost the case in April 2017. Due to this loss, she has been ordered pay all the court costs and received an invoice from the Jönköping County in the amount of 1 640 000 Swedish Kronor (€168 634). Linda Steen was denied an appeal in the Labor Court, but she will receive an invoice of 1.2 million Swedish Kronor (€123 391).

Attack Against a Catholic Bishop

May 29, 2017, Spain

A Catholic bishop had to be escorted by the police after several dozens of people holding LGTB banners assaulted him at the entrance of the church after a service.

Cemetery Vandalized in Saint-Brès

May 27, 2017, France

Two teenagers entered the cemetery of Saint-Brès France and destroyed two graves, crosses, statues, and grave plates. The police were called and the two teenagers were identified through surveillance cameras.

Reparation Prayers for Abortion Banned by Hospital Management

May 27, 2017, Switzerland

Prayers in reparation for the victims of abortion have been held in the chapel of the University Hospital (CHUV) in Lausanne on the 13th of every month for the past 10 years, organized by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). Pierre-Francois Leyvraz, the CEO of the hospital claimed not to have known about the events when the media contacted him. He informed the SSPX that they would no longer have access to the chapel and that the chapel will be closed on the 13th of each month to prevent the prayer meetings. He noted that abortion is legal and they will not permit people opposed to abortion to meet in the hospital chapel.

Cross at General De Gaulle's Grave Vandalized

May 27, 2017, France

Two unknown perpetrators were seen entering the cemetery of Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises, where General de Gaulle's grave is located. One of the two men was suspected of having climbed on the grave and reversed the cross of the grave. Police are investigating.

ISIS Graffiti on Catholic Church in Sweden

May 24, 2017, Sweden

The Catholic church in Västerås was vandalized in several places with graffiti with the Arabic letter “N,” which stands for Nazarene or Nasrani, the Arabic word for "Christian". In ISIS-controlled areas, this tag has been used in combination with attacks on Christian’s homes and properties. Its use has been used as a signal: convert, pay a tax or be killed. Members of the parish are both frightened and upset about this attack. Cardinal Anders Arborelius has stated that he believes this is the first time a Catholic church has been tagged with ISIS graffiti in Sweden.