All cases
Consecrated Hosts Stolen from Chapel in Catania
April 25, 2025, ItalyConsecrated hosts were stolen from a chapel in Catania, in an act regarded as desecration in Catholic belief. The incident prompted a call for reparation and prayer across the local archdiocese.
Church in Alsace severely vandalised: €10,000 in damage
April 24, 2025, FranceOn the night of 24 April, the collegiate church of Saint-Martin in Colmar was vandalised by an intruder who climbed through scaffolding, damaged sacred objects and left the church in disarray. Despite spending almost three hours inside and causing over €10,000 in damage, the perpetrator - who was caught on CCTV and reportedly under the influence of drugs - stole nothing. The incident shocked the local community and raised serious concerns about the protection of religious and cultural heritage.
Historic Chapel in Port Talbot Severely Damaged in Suspected Arson
April 24, 2025, United KingdomA historic Calvinistic Methodist Chapel in Port Talbot was severely damaged by a fire suspected to be arson.
Church closes after attacks on parish staff
April 23, 2025, AustriaThe parish of Breitenfeld has had to severely restrict access to its church following repeated violent attacks against parish workers and acts of vandalism. An unknown man attacked a parish secretary, pushing her to the ground and kicking her several times. A few days later, a 74-year-old sexton was similarly attacked, suffering injuries so severe that he had to be hospitalised for several days. Vandalism to the church building was also confirmed. As a result, the church is now only open for mass, and there is a police presence.
Parish Targeted in Paint Vandalism
April 21, 2025, GermanyBetween Sunday, April 20, and Monday, April 21, 2025, an unknown individual vandalised a church on Kirchstraße in Haren, Lower Saxony. All five entrance doors and the surrounding masonry were defaced with paint.
Church and graveyard defaced with blasphemous graffiti
April 18, 2025, United KingdomOn Good Friday, 18 April, St James' Church in Leyland, Lancashire, was vandalised with lewd images and anti-Christian messages. The graffiti included sexually graphic content, explicit blasphemy, and defaced both the church building and at least 40 gravestones in the churchyard with offensive statements such as "God is a lie".
Cross Vandalized on Rzędowa Rock
April 18, 2025, PolandUnknown individuals defaced a prominent Christian cross in Zawiercie-Bzów, severing its upper arm and painting it black, prompting a police investigation.
Priest Assaulted After Good Friday Mass in Lisieux
April 18, 2025, FranceA priest in Lisieux was assaulted following a Good Friday service. Authorities have opened a judicial procedure explicitly referring to violence committed on religious grounds.
Church Benches Vandalised in Iserlohn
April 15, 2025, GermanyA group of young people deliberately damaged wooden benches at the Oberste Stadtkirche in Iserlohn, according to a police report. A witness saw the group fleeing — some towards the train station, others towards Unnaer Straße.
Religious Statue Destroyed in Vandalism
April 15, 2025, PolandIn Warsaw’s Praga-Północ district, vandals attacked a statue of Mary located near the Church of Our Lady of Loreto. Using a hammer, they destroyed the figure’s face and hands. The incident shocked local residents.
Religious Statue Targeted
April 14, 2025, PolandA statue of the Virgin Mary was deliberately knocked over in Pruszcz Gdański, in an act described as desecration. The incident targeted a religious figure of central importance to Catholic devotion.
Orthodox Church Desecrated and Religious Objects Damaged in Mostar
April 13, 2025, Bosnia and HerzegovinaResidents of the Raštani settlement in Mostar discovered that the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Procopius had been vandalised. Frescoes destroyed, oil lamps torn down, and sacred items - including the Gospel Book and donations - stolen.
Man Disrupts Religious Services and Targets Christian Symbol in Almería
April 13, 2025, SpainA man repeatedly disrupted religious services and insulted worshippers inside a church in Almería, while also removing a Christian banner depicting the Cristo del Mar from a nearby residence. The incidents affected both the practice of worship and visible expressions of Christian faith in the local community.
Third attack on chapel in recent months
April 13, 2025, ItalyA votive shrine in Lonato del Garda has suffered its third act of vandalism in 3 months. In the latest incident, a wooden crucifix was torn from the wall and thrown away. Previously, a statue of the Madonna had been destroyed and a crucifix depicting Christ had been stolen.
Attack on Holy Week Procession in Toledo
April 12, 2025, SpainA religious procession during Holy Week in Toledo was disrupted when a man lunged at the individual carrying the processional cross, displacing it.
Man Insults Worshippers During Mass Commemoration in Gliwice
April 10, 2025, PolandA man entered the sanctuary area of a church in Gliwice, verbally abusing worshippers and using anti-Catholic insults. The incident disrupted a religious commemoration and involved actions perceived as desecration within the church.
Bible set alight on wooden altar
April 10, 2025, GermanyA Bible was set alight with a match in the Protestant church in Groß-Gerau. It was on the wooden altar, but did not burn down completely.
Protestant schools in France excluded from Erasmus+
April 10, 2025, FranceIn a written question to the European Commission, Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen raised concerns over France’s exclusion of private schools—including Protestant and Montessori institutions—from the EU’s Erasmus+ student mobility programme. He questioned how this policy aligns with the programme’s stated commitment to inclusivity for both public and private educational institutions. In its response on 10 April, the European Commission reaffirmed that Erasmus+ is designed to be inclusive. However, it ultimately placed responsibility on national authorities, stating that France is within its rights to define eligibility criteria for participation.
Statue of Saint Damaged Outside Church in Swobnica
April 8, 2025, PolandDuring the night of 7–8 April, vandals A statue of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus was knocked over and damaged outside a church in Swobnica, West Pomerania.. The statue was overturned and broken, shocking the local community.
Vandals damage several churches in Odenwald region
April 8, 2025, GermanyIn the Odenwald region, several churches were attacked by vandals. At a church in Schweinberg, the stucco decoration on the high altar was broken off and thrown to the ground. Vandals also left cigarette butts and damaged collection boxes.