All cases
Nativity Crib Burned in Church
December 8, 2016, FranceParishioners praying in the chapel adjacent to the Church of Notre-Dame in Metz smelled smoke and discovered the crib burning inside the church. Police have launched a criminal investigation.
Hindu UKIP Member Racially Harassed for Calling Britain a "Christian Country"
December 7, 2016, United KingdomAnish Patel, a UKIP member and practising Hindu took to Twitter with a message defending Britain’s Christian identity. In response, Twitter users responded with racist epithets.
Church Requests Security Staff Due to Disruptions, Vandalism
December 7, 2016, SwedenThe Holy Trinity Church in Kristianstad has been given permission by police to have security guards at church services due to repeated thefts, disruptive and threatening behavior during services, drug and alcohol use in the church, and urination and defecation in the pews.
Student Union Bans Pro-Life Group
December 5, 2016, United KingdomPro-life supporters have been banned from setting up an official campus group by the University of Strathclyde Student Union on the grounds that such a group would violate "safe space."
Equalities Watchdog Calls for Review of Catholic Schools Hiring Rules
December 5, 2016, United KingdomThe Equality and Human Rights Commission has told the Scottish government that the Scottish Catholic schools’ legal right to examine teaching staff for religious suitability should be reviewed.
Christian Archbishops from Iraq and Syria Denied Visas to UK
December 4, 2016, United KingdomDespite a formal invitation from Prince Charles to attend a consecration ceremony of Britain's first Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, the Home Office denied the visa applications of Archbishops Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf of Mosul, Timothius Mousa Shamani of St Matthew's in Nineveh valley of northern Iraq, and Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh of Homs and Hama in Syria because they "did not have enough money to support themselves and might not leave the UK."
Court Gives Town Three Months to Remove Statue of Virgin Mary
December 3, 2016, FranceA court has ordered the town of Publier to remove its statue of the Virgin Mary to comply with France's ban on religious symbols in public spaces. Failure to remove it within three months will result in a fine of 100 euros per day.
Leftist Graffiti on Bordeaux Catholic Seminary
December 3, 2016, France"Neither God nor master", "I love Satan", "Lesbi Power" and "Antifa" and other slogans were sprayed on the walls of the seminary during the night of December 3, 2016.
Nantes Church Vandalized with Anarchist Graffiti
December 3, 2016, FranceThe Church of St. Clement in Nantes was vandalized with the anarchist "A" topped with symbols of both sexes. This sign is supposed to convey the opposition to the male and female genders in their traditional definitions.
Thieves Steal Votive Offerings in Treviso Church
December 3, 2016, ItalyUnknown perpetrators broke into the Basilica of Motta di Livenza during the night of December 3, 2016, disconnected an alarm, sawed off iron bars, broke a window, and stole votive offerings donated in the past by the faithful of the diocese. They were unable to force open the shrine with the statue of the Madonna. Police are investigating.
Madrid Parish Vandalized
December 1, 2016, Spain"You will burn in Hell" (“Arderéis en el infierno”) was sprayed on the parish of Nuestra Señora Reina del Cielo in Madrid by unknown perpetrators.
Graffiti Damaged Granada Cathedral
November 25, 2016, SpainThe Archbishop of Granada filed a complaint after graffiti was painted on the facade of the Metropolitan Curia and the Cathedral, one of the most important cultural sites of the city. The vandalism occurred during the night from the 24 to 25 of November and damaged the original stone of the Cathedral.
Church Ransacked in Northern France
November 25, 2016, FranceSome time in the early afternoon of November 25th, unknown perpetrators started a fire inside the church of Zuydcoote, overturned chairs and benches, smashed statues onto the floor, and destroyed the tabernacle.
School Prohibits Christmas Decorations with Religious Motifs
November 24, 2016, SpainA school in Elche sent a letter to parents saying it needed Christmas decorations for the classrooms, but that they should not have a religious motif, such as a nativity scene.
Easter Poster Depicting Christ Removed from Government Office
November 23, 2016, SpainAfter a complaint by the Oberservatorio del Laicismo, the Andalusian Employment Office in Granada removed a poster containing an image of Christ promoting Holy Week tourism.
Officials Ban Television Commercial to Commemorate World Down Syndrome Day
November 22, 2016, FranceTelevision officials rejected as "inappropriate" an award-winning video featuring several people with Down syndrome responding to a letter from a frightened woman whose unborn baby had been diagnosed with the disorder.
14th Century Church Vandalized with Red Paint
November 22, 2016, SpainDuring the night of November 22, 2016, two people threw red paint against the facade and one of the entrances of the parish of Santa Creu, one of the oldest in Palma. Costs to clean the damage is unclear. Perpetrators justified the attack as denouncing the "historical collaboration" of the Catholic Church with fascism.
Priest Attacked While Celebrating Mass
November 17, 2016, SpainWhile he was celebrating Mass in the parish church of Nuestra Señora de Covadonga in Madrid, Fr. Lino Hernando was attacked at the altar by an unknown person who threw him to the ground, kicked and insulted him. The aggressor also threw around consecrated Hosts and other worship items from the altar. The police were immediately alerted and arrested the perpetrator.
Judge Dismisses Charges Against Artist Who Stole Consecrated Hosts
November 16, 2016, SpainAbel Azcona stole more than 240 consecrated hosts from Masses celebrated in the cities of Madrid and Pamplona. He later took nude photos of himself arranging them on a floor to spell the word ‘pederasty.’ He was charged with an offense against laws respecting religious sentiments. However, on November 16, 2016, a judge dismissed the case against Azcona. In his ruling, the judge described the consecrated and stolen hosts as “small white round objects.” He claimed that there had been no desecration of the sacred hosts because according to the Spanish Royal Academy dictionary desecration is defined as “treating something sacred without due respect or using it for profane purposes.”
Stolen Tabernacle and Ciborium Found in Cemetery
November 10, 2016, SpainThe Bishop of San Sebastián reported that the tabernacle and ciborium containing consecrated Hosts which had been stolen from the chapel earlier in the week had been found in a cemetery. The ciborium was empty.