All cases
Cross in Gdańsk set on fire
December 27, 2024, PolandGdańsk police have arrested a 45-year-old man suspected of setting fire to a wooden cross. As a result of the incident, the painting of Mary hanging on the cross was burnt and the perpetrator also broke the fence surrounding the cross. The total damage was estimated at 10,000 zloty.
A Mural Depicting the Crucified Christ was Spray-Painted with a Swastika
December 27, 2024, SpainIn late December 2024, the Cristo del Amor image in Vélez-Málaga was vandalised with a swastika and obscured face, sparking outrage over the desecration of a beloved devotional site.
Theft of tabernacle
December 26, 2024, GermanyOn 26 December, the tabernacle was stolen from the church of St Joseph parish in Kollnau. The perpetrators, who are still unknown, stole the locked tabernacle from the choir of the church.
Tbilisi church pelted with eggs
December 26, 2024, OtherUnknown people threw eggs at the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the second oldest in the country. The western facade and the door of the Anchiskhati Cathedral, were smeared with broken eggs.
Nativity Scene Vandalized in Canals
December 26, 2024, SpainFigures from the municipal nativity scene in Canals, Valencia, were found toppled and broken in Plaza del Puente del Río, adding to a troubling pattern of attacks on Christian symbols.
Man enters church on Christmas Day shouting “Allah Akbar”
December 25, 2024, FranceOn Wednesday 25 December, just before 5pm, a man entered the church of Saint-Louis in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines) shouting "Allah Akbar".
15-year-old allegedly planned attack on church
December 25, 2024, GermanyPolice in Brandenburg took a 15-year-old from Zossen into custody on Christmas Day. Security services believe he was planning an attack on a church in Berlin over the Christmas period. The young man was released from police custody due to a lack of evidence.
Repeated vandalism: Marian statue desecrated in Mrągowo
December 25, 2024, PolandThe desecration of the parish of St Raphael Kalinowski in Mrągowo took place on the night of 25-26 December. An unknown perpetrator entered the church premises and destroyed the statue of Mary in the church chapel. The situation was recorded by the parish camera.
Church soiled with urine and cigarette butts on Christmas Eve
December 24, 2024, ItalyOn the night of 24 December, in the small church of San Rocco in Malpaga di Orzinuovi, near Brescia, the floor and chairs were covered in cigarette butts and urine. Nothing was stolen.
Church wall damaged by explosives
December 24, 2024, ItalyOn Christmas Eve, 24 December, the church of Sant'Antonio Abate was the target of an act of vandalism. Unknown persons set off fireworks on the side of the sacred building, causing considerable damage. The explosion tore off part of the frame, and debris was found scattered on the ground.