All cases
Nottinghamshire village church severely vandalised
February 23, 2025, United KingdomThe church of St Mary and St Martin in Blyth was severely vandalised, with a stained glass window smashed, an effigy of a knight damaged, a knife plunged into the bell tower door and religious objects desecrated.
Roadside cross vandalised in Lublin
February 22, 2025, PolandA 48-year-old man has been arrested for vandalising a roadside cross in Jakubowice Konińskie (near Lublin). The suspect broke the cross and threw it under an oncoming vehicle, just before destroying the candles placed near the monument. The man has now been charged with destruction of public property and insulting religious feelings.
Catholic priest violently beaten in Auxerre
February 22, 2025, FranceOn 22 February, a Catholic priest was attacked by two people outside the church of Saint-Eusèbe. The assailants insulted the priest, knocked him to the ground and punched him several times in the face. The priest, who had bruising and oedema on his face, was taken to hospital in a state of shock. Police are searching for the suspects.
Sacrilegious theft in Quattro Castella
February 21, 2025, ItalyA church in Quattro Castella was desecrated after unknown perpetrators forced the tabernacle and removed consecrated hosts.
Church Altar Cloth Set on Fire
February 21, 2025, GermanyAn unknown perpetrator ignited an altar cloth in St Sebastian’s Church in Bad Aibling, leaving burn damage to the side altar and a melted microphone cable.
Jesus Figure Torn from Cross During Vandalism in Church in Olten
February 20, 2025, SwitzerlandTwo men vandalised a church in Olten, destroying parts of the interior and tearing a figure of Jesus from the cross. The incident caused shock among parishioners.
Theft of Consecrated Hosts at Santarcangelo Convent
February 20, 2025, ItalyA theft occurred at the Capuchin Friars Minor Convent in Santarcangelo, Rimini, where the tabernacle and ciborium with consecrated hosts were stolen, prompting Bishop Nicolò Anselmi to condemn the act as a potential satanic desecration.
Santa Faz cross in Alicante vandalised again
February 20, 2025, SpainTwo years ago, on carnival night, the cross of the Holy Face, located in a public square near Alicante City Hall, was vandalised by unknown persons. The incident happened again on the same night, 20 February, and the cross was severely damaged. The Town Hall has now promised to install additional security measures to protect this public Christian symbol.
Altar Cross Stolen from Church in Emmerich
February 20, 2025, GermanyA bronze altar cross was stolen from the altar of a church in Emmerich am Rhein, directly targeting a central Christian symbol. The removal of the cross from the altar has raised concern within the local parish.
Christian prayer leader first charged under Scotland's buffer zone law
February 19, 2025, United KingdomRose Docherty, a 74-year-old Christian and leader of the pro-life prayer group "40 Days for Life", has become the first person to be arrested under Scotland's new abortion 'buffer zone' law for holding a silent vigil near a Glasgow hospital. The law, which criminalises any attempt to 'influence' abortion decisions within 200 metres of a facility, raises fundamental rights concerns. Pro-life groups plan to hold upcoming prayer vigils only outside the buffer zones, but politicians are already pushing for further extensions of the zones.
Statue of Christ Forcibly Removed and Stolen
February 17, 2025, GermanyA bronze statue of Christ was forcibly removed and stolen from outside a cemetery chapel in Harsewinkel, directly targeting a religious figure and long-standing Christian symbol at the site.
Cross broken: Church in West Keal vandalised
February 17, 2025, United KingdomSometime between 14 and 17 February, the Episcopal Church of St Helen in West Keal was robbed and vandalised by unknown offenders. The criminals broke a cross, burned signs, stole a tapestry and caused other damage. The crime has been reported to Lincolnshire Police, who are investigating.
Statue of Virgin Mary vandalised in Bydgoszcz
February 15, 2025, PolandOn the night of 14-15 February, unknown perpetrators destroyed an image of the Virgin Mary in a Catholic church in Bydgoszcz. Police are investigating.
Sacrilegious theft in Santarcangelo
February 13, 2025, ItalyUnknown assailants broke into the church of the Capuchin Friars Minor in Santarcangelo di Romagna. The suspects went straight to the tabernacle and stole a pisside containing the consecrated hosts. The police are now investigating the attack.
Arson attack on church in Nenzing
February 13, 2025, AustriaOn the evening of 13 February, unknown perpetrators set fire to a pew in the parish church of St. Mauritius in Nenzing. The Nenzing volunteer fire brigade extinguished the fire and ventilated the church, preventing further damage. The police are now investigating and are asking for witnesses.
Vandalism and arson attack on church in Aichach
February 13, 2025, GermanyOn 13 February, unknown persons vandalised the Catholic church in Gallenbach, a district of Aichach, Bavaria, and set fire to several objects. Although the flames did not spread to the rest of the church, the damage amounted to several thousand euros. The church will remain closed for the next few days as police investigate the attack.
Priest Murdered in Kłobuck Parish Residence
February 13, 2025, PolandFr. Grzegorz Dymek, a 58-year-old priest, has been killed in the parish residence in Kłobuck, Poland, by a former police officer.
UK Court Backs Christian Teacher After Unfair Dismissal For Sharing Christian Views
February 12, 2025, United KingdomOn February 12, 2025, the UK Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Christian teacher Kristie Higgs, who was fired in 2019 for sharing her concerns about sex education policies and expressed her Christian beliefs about this topic on her private Facebook page. The court confirmed that traditional Christian beliefs on social issues are protected under the Equality Act. The decision marks a major victory for freedom of speech and religion in the UK.
"Your mere presence is causing people harassment"
February 10, 2025, United KingdomChristian charity volunteer Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has again been targeted by police for standing silently in a buffer zone. This time, police officers told her that her 'mere presence' was causing 'harassment' and therefore prohibited behaviour in the area. Buffer zone laws in the UK continue to allow serious attacks on basic human rights.
Pietà Stolen in Repeated Targeting of Church in Gütersloh
February 10, 2025, GermanyA historic Pietà depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ was stolen from a church in Gütersloh, directly targeting a central Christian devotional object. The theft is part of repeated incidents affecting the same parish.