All cases
Clerk Jailed for Refusing to Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
September 3, 2015, United StatesKim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky, has been jailed for "contempt of court" after defying a federal court order to issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples.
43 Graves in French Village Damaged and Vandalized
September 3, 2015, FranceOn the 3rd of September 2015, the destruction of 43 graves was discovered in the small French village of Montjavoult. Swastikas were spray-painted on 6 of them and crosses were broken off and left on the ground. Authorities have reason to believe that this act was political in nature, and not just the prank of drunk young people. The investigation is ongoing.
Two Men Arrested for Setting Fire to Lutheran Church in Sweden
September 1, 2015, SwedenDuring the evening of the 26th of August, a Lutheran church Åmåls, Sweden was attacked by arsonists. The perpetrators used at least one Molotov cocktail to set fire to the building, and broke several windows in the church and the parish hall. The motive for the arson is unclear.
Treasured Statue Stolen from French Church
September 1, 2015, FranceThe statue of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, dating from the 15th century, was stolen from the church of Molins-sur-Aube.
Orthodox Church Destroyed by the Albanian Authorities
August 26, 2015, AlbaniaOn the 26th of August, local officials destroyed the Orthodox church St. Athanasius, which is located in the village of Dhermi, in southern Albania.
Broken and Desecrated Statue of the Virgin Mary in Reunion, France
August 23, 2015, FranceA Statue of the Virgin Mary has been purposely destroyed, its chest impaled on a spit, and the other pieces of the statue were left in a plastic bag on the side of a road. This event happened next to the chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix a few days before the 23rd of August. The sight of the destroyed statue has shocked locals, and drivers passing by haven't dared to disturb the broken pieces. No explanation yet has been given to this act of vandalism.
Kindergarten Teacher Fired for Explaining Christmas Story
August 21, 2015, AustriaA city-run kindergarten in Vienna has fired a teacher because she “violated the kindergarten’s neutral stance on religion” by explaining that on Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This was in response to the children's questions about the holiday. In the letter informing the teacher of the school board’s decision to fire her, one reads that city-run kindergartens “accompany children of diverse religious faiths as well as without religious faith; therefore the religious meanings of traditional feasts are not mentioned and must instead be replaced by other content (for example during advent by themes such as ‘family’, ‘friendship’, or ‘community’). You have not followed this approach, but instead informed the children several times … about the Christian meaning of Christmas”. The teacher explains, "I have answered only the questions of the children . . . I am a Christian, but not a religion teacher."
Desecration in Gex and Colloges Churches in Pays de l'Ain France
August 16, 2015, FranceOn Sunday, August 16, 2015, a ciborium containing consecrated hosts and chalice were stolen from the church of Gex. The same day, a ciborium, a chalice, and a reliquary, registered in the inventory of Historical Monuments, were stolen from the church of Collonges.
Chapel Vandalized in Nantes, France
August 16, 2015, FranceThe outside wall of a chapel of Christ Roi in Nantes was spray painted during the night of the 15th/16th of August. The tag says : "Don't open. Integriste. Inside". The wrongdoers remain unknown. http://www.christianophobie.fr/breves/nantes-precisions-dun-lecteur-sur-la-chapelle-taguee
Attempted Arson in Chapel Saint-François of Rennes
August 14, 2015, FranceThe chapel Saint-François of Rennes was the victim of an attempted arson during night between August 13 and 14th.