All cases
Man steals church material amid anti-church statements
June 18, 2025, GermanyA 23-year-old man has been fined for stealing information leaflets and brochures from the parish church of Zum Heiligsten Erlöser. During the trial, the defendant openly expressed hostility towards church institutions.
Profanation of Church in Provins during Festival
June 14, 2025, FranceDuring the medieval festival Médiévales, held on 14–15 June 2025, the Collégiale Saint-Quiriace in Provins was desecrated. This Gothic collegiate church, which is a historic landmark in the Diocese of Meaux, was open to both pilgrims and festival exhibitors. However, several stalls displayed occult and neo-pagan items, including books on Satanism, inside the sacred space. Witnesses also reported seeing a shirtless man dressed as a satyr, wearing horns, parading through the nave, alongside erotic imagery placed among the church’s pillars. The local bishop denounced this violation of the church's spiritual dignity.
Suspected Arson at Fourteen Holy Helpers Chapel
June 12, 2025, GermanyA chapel in Weißenhorn was damaged after unknown individuals set fire to a bouquet inside the building. The incident caused soot damage and is being investigated as suspected arson.
Banner with Hostile Message Displayed at Karlskirche
June 12, 2025, AustriaOn 12 June 2025, a banner with hostile messaging was displayed at a church in Vienna ahead of a pro-life march. The act forms part of a series of incidents targeting Christian sites in the city.
Suspected Arson at Laval’s Sainte‑Trinité Cathedral Behind Scaffolding
June 11, 2025, FranceIn the early morning hours of June 11, 2025, a fire erupted on the scaffolding attached to the left side of the Sainte-Trinité Cathedral in Laval, Mayenne. The blaze, which began around 5 a.m., was quickly extinguished by firefighters after being alerted by a passerby.
Witness Suspects Arson at Saint-Pierre Church in Pontlevoy
June 11, 2025, FranceOn the afternoon of June 11, 2025, a small fire broke out inside the Église Saint-Pierre in Pontlevoy, southwestern Loir-et-Cher, France. The blaze started on a curtain near the sacristy and produced heavy smoke that filled the church, though damage fortunately remained limited. A passing resident, who attempted to extinguish the flames, alerted the fire department—leading investigators to suspect the incident may have been deliberate.
Arson Attack at Market Drayton’s St Mary’s Church
June 9, 2025, United KingdomSt Mary’s Church in Market Drayton, Shropshire, was the target of a deliberate arson attack. Firefighters from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service were alerted on the morning of 9 June, arriving to find the large oak rear door of the church engulfed in flames. The fire was threatening to spread to nearby curtains and wooden roof timbers. Thanks to their swift emergency response, firefighters contained the fire before it could cause more extensive damage.
Vandals Cause Extensive Damage to Great Yarmouth Minster Windows
June 9, 2025, United KingdomAccording to a BBC article, published on June 9th, the historic Great Yarmouth Minster, the largest parish church in England, was targeted by vandals who hurled stones at its leaded windows, shattering dozens of diamond-shaped panes and severely damaging one large stained-glass window. The attack occurred in broad daylight, while church wardens were still cleaning up earlier damage. During the cleanup, another stone was thrown through a window, prompting staff to run outside and spot two teenage boys fleeing the scene.
Vandalism St. Anna Basilica in Altötting: Pentecost Service Relocated
June 8, 2025, GermanyOn the night before Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025, a 19-year-old man vandalised the pilgrimage church of St. Anna in Altötting, damaging and soiling numerous sacred objects. Police estimate the resulting property damage to be in the mid-five-figure range. The violent incident disrupted morning Pentecost services.
Vandalism and Anti-Christian Slogans Target Karlskirche and Antonskirche in Vienna
June 8, 2025, AustriaOn 8 June 2025, a church in Vienna was targeted in a severe act of vandalism involving the destruction of memorial crosses and anti-religious graffiti reading “Islam will prevail”. The incident combined property damage with elements of desecration and ideological messaging.
Orthodox Chapel in Olbia Desecrated on Pentecost Sunday
June 7, 2025, ItalyOn the night of June 7th–8th, 2025, during Pentecost celebrations, the Orthodox chapel of Santa Croce in Olbia, Sardinia, was desecrated in a deeply disturbing attack. The door of the chapel, which is under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, was broken open, sacred objects were defiled, and an icon of Christ Pantocrator was destroyed. Parish priest Fr. Nikolay Volskyy described the incident as painful and explicitly anti-Christian, while Don Gianni Satta of the neighboring Catholic parish condemned the act as a cowardly offense against religious faith.
Repeated Vandalism and Desecration Target Church in Trento
June 7, 2025, ItalyA church in Trento was targeted in a fourth attempted break-in, amid a series of incidents involving vandalism and degrading behaviour affecting multiple nearby church sites.
Church in Sindelfingen Vandalised
June 7, 2025, GermanyA church situated on Liebenzeller Straße in Sindelfingen, Baden-Württemberg, was targeted in a spree of vandalism. The damage was discovered later that day, with police confirming that unknown individuals had overturned liturgical furnishings, breaking off several candle holders, removing floral arrangements, plant pots, shelving, and other church fixtures, and relocating them to the building’s entrance vestibule.
Germany: Anti-Christian Hate Crimes rise by 22%
June 6, 2025, GermanyThe German Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) recorded 337 politically motivated anti-Christian hate crimes for 2024, an increase of 21.66% from 277 crimes in 2023. This represents a continuation of the negative trend observed in the previous year, during which anti-Christian hate crimes increased by 100%.
Swastika Graffiti Defaces Church in Altmannstein
June 6, 2025, GermanyA church in Altmannstein was vandalised with a swastika, indicating an ideologically charged act targeting a place of worship.
Desecration of Crucifix in Rudy Raciborskie Forest
June 5, 2025, PolandA wooden roadside crucifix in Rudy Raciborskie, Poland, was deliberately vandalised in a shocking incident. The perpetrators sawed off the arms of the figure of Jesus, turned it upside down and draped rubbish over the desecrated image. Locals say this was timed to coincide with a significant celebration at the nearby sanctuary marking the 25th anniversary of the coronation of Our Lady of Pokorna. Residents described the incident as a deeply symbolic and intentional assault on their place of prayer.
Nocturnal Vandalism at Monthey Church: Confessional Left in “Appalling Condition”
June 5, 2025, SwitzerlandA church in Monthey was affected by repeated acts of nighttime vandalism, including misuse of liturgical objects and damage inside the building. The incidents prompted the parish to restrict access.
Vandalism Defaces Fresco in Baveno Church
June 4, 2025, ItalyAs reported on June 4th, the Church complex of Gervaso e Protaso in Baveno, on Lake Maggiore, saw intentional vandalism to one of its Via Crucis frescoes and the toppled external cross. The community reacted with sadness and concern, prompting calls for reflection and collective response.
Religious Statue Stolen from Church in Ashby de la Launde
June 2, 2025, United KingdomA church in Ashby de la Launde was targeted in a theft involving religious objects, including a statue of St Francis of Assisi. The incident has prompted concerns within the local community and led to increased security measures.
Vandalism at St. Michael's Church in Sonthofen
June 1, 2025, GermanyA church in Sonthofen was vandalised with graffiti accusing the institution of abuse. The wording of the message points to a defamatory and accusatory motive beyond material damage.