All cases
Church and Bust of Pope Benedict XVI Spray Painted
September 22, 2013, GermanySt. Oswald church - the church in which Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his first mass - was spray painted with large letters. Local sources suspect radical left wing forces behind the incident. A bust of the former Pope in front of the main entrance was spray painted twice. In the first case the delinquent was identified, the second case remains unclear.
Dublin Church Bells Silenced After 130 Years
September 21, 2013, IrelandDue to complaints, the clock and bells at the Church of St. Bartholomew, Dublin, Ireland are temporarily out of service. The church is required to find a solution to stop the bells from ringing at night, or they will have to be switched off permanently.
Fire Damage in Church in Reggio Emilia
September 21, 2013, ItalyThe shrine of Our Lady in the church of St. Augustine in Reggio Emilia was set on fire. Fortunately the statue was unharmed but everything around it was destroyed.
Vandalised Madonna in Bari
September 10, 2013, ItalyThe Madonna in the Parish of St Nicholas in Bari was decapitated by vandals. The statue was carved in the rock at the base of a large crucifix and was probably broken by being thrown against the crucifix.
Government Takes Children From Christian Community
September 5, 2013, GermanyIn the early morning of September 5th, a massive police raid of 100 police and 60 social workers descended on two of the Christian Twelve Tribes Communities of Klosterzimmern and Wörnitz. The police seized 40 children from 16 families and took them away in 25 vans on allegations of physical abuse.
Vandalism in Church in Bologna
September 5, 2013, ItalyVandals broke in half the ceramic statue of the Madonna in Caserme Rosse. This statue had been vandalised two years ago as well.
Berlin Bans Public Christmas Celebrations
September 3, 2013, GermanyBerlin politicians and officials of Berlin-Kreuzberg banned the celebration of Christmas in public places or roads, as well as decorations and Christmas fairs, in order not to discriminate against the Muslim minority. A tree may only be placed in specific places, previously assigned by the authorities.
Stations of the Cross Vandalised in Traunstein
September 3, 2013, GermanyLocal faithful discovered grafitti on stations of the cross. Unknown perpetrators had spraypainted "God is dead", "boozing" and an anarchy symbol on the small buildings.
Pope John Paul II Commemoration Monument in Rijeka Thrown into the Sea
September 1, 2013, CroatiaA monument commemorating the visit by John Paul II to Rijeka, which had been erected in June 2013 on the pier Gat Karoline Riječke, was thrown into the sea by unidentified vandals. Divers from the Rijeka Fire Department pulled it out from a depth of approximately six meters. The incident was recorded by the police who conducted an investigation.
Satanist Symbolism on Garage in Traunstein
August 30, 2013, GermanyVarious acts of vandalism with clear anti-Christian symbolism have been reported in in Traunstein/Southern Germany: The exterior wall of a small church belonging to a parish in Traunstein (in the South of Germany) was spray painted with anti-Christian symbols and had to be repainted. Close by, the pedestal of a St. John Nepomuk figure was disfigured with the painting of a satanist cross. On a private garage, two big satanist crosses and the letters “GOD free“ were spray painted. Local sources suspect radical left wing groups are behind these acts.
Christians Hurt by Theatre Performance in Former Church Building
August 30, 2013, GermanyLocal Christians reported to the Observatory that they felt offended by a play with the title, “Empathy to the Devil” which was performed in a secularised church in the south of Germany. The poster of the event featured a silhouette of the devil. Earlier productions from the same theatre-group have shown a big red cross being used as a hat stand on stage.
Church Vandalised Overnight in Loire-Atlantique
August 24, 2013, FranceIn the night perpetrators broke down the door and entered the church of Notre Dame in Loire-Atlantique, Bretagne, where they destroyed several more items. A lawsuit was filed and as a consequence the town decided to close and lock the doors of the church, which are normally open.
Exhibition in Church Damaged by Fire in Chatellerault
August 17, 2013, FranceAn exhibition of pilgrims financed by the Friends of Santiago de Compostela was on display in the St. Jacques church in Chatellerault, France. Several times someone tried to set the laminated panels of the images on fire using a candle. The panels were covered with burn holes from the candle. Police in Chatellerault have opened an investigation.
Burglary at Church in Wesel
August 15, 2013, GermanyPerpetrators broke through a basement window in the rectory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wesel, Germany. They damaged several doors including the door to the sacristy and stole two boxes of donated money.
Vandalism and Burglary in Church in Lünen
August 14, 2013, GermanyThieves broke through the roof into St. Joseph’s church in Lünen, Germany. All cabinets and boxes were opened. A large cross in the sacristy was thrown on the floor and a chandelier used as a crowbar. Police estimated a damage of at least 8000 euro.
Plan to Ditch God From National Anthem
August 13, 2013, SwitzerlandSwitzerland is holding a competition to rewrite its national anthem in 2014 because it currently focuses on God. Over £7,000 is being offered as a prize for rewriting the song, which is called the Swiss Psalm. Competitors are asked to include values from the Swiss constitution such as democracy and solidarity.
Government Says No Opt Out Of Performing Abortions for Faith-Based Hospitals
August 12, 2013, IrelandThe Irish government has told a Catholic hospital that there will be no opting out of the new law legalising abortion, and which requires hospitals to do the procedure. The health minister was responding to comments by a board member of Dublin’s Mater Misericordiae University Hospital that the hospital would not be complying with the new abortion law.
Wooden Cross Stolen From Church in Aushausen
August 12, 2013, GermanyA large 150 x 150 cm wooden cross with the figure of Jesus was stolen from the church of St. Andrew in Aushausen, Germany. The cross had been fastened with metal studs on the church wall.
Consultation Centre for Disabled People Vandalised by Left Wing Radicals
August 5, 2013, FranceThe Jérôme-Lejeune-Foundation reports that the HIV/Aids – Awareness raising lobby group “Act Up“ has vandalised the foundation’s premises in the night from August 4th to 5th. Doctors and patients of the foundation discovered insulting posters, red colour on doors, windows and walls and condoms lying around in the morning. Prof. Marie-Odile Rhétoré, director of the public consultations, deplored that the sight was shocking for families and their disabled children who came for appointments and support that morning.
Theft and Vandalism in Church in Misson
August 5, 2013, ItalyThe Basilica of San Vittore in Misson was attacked by a vandal who forced open the side window of the sacristy and entered the church. He ripped the golden door off the golden casket and stole the consecrated Host.