All cases
Altar Cross Destroyed in Chapel Desecration in Mielec
May 1, 2025, PolandA chapel in Mielec was desecrated, with an altar cross completely destroyed and liturgical items, including books, stolen.
two-metre-high wooden cross cut down
May 1, 2025, FranceIn Curancy, Burgundy, on the night of 30 April, a two-metre-high wooden Christian cross was deliberately cut down and stolen from the woods. The vandals used a saw to cut it down and made off with it. Shocked by the incident, the mayor filed a police report, describing the act as 'a direct attack on a symbol of faith'.
St Eloi Chapel in Hautmont Vandalised with Political Graffiti
May 1, 2025, FranceThe St Eloi Chapel in Hautmont’s Bois-du-Quesnoy district was vandalised over the weekend of May 1, with graffiti reading “FREE GAZA” sprayed on four walls of the façade.
Vandals leave trail of destruction in church
April 30, 2025, ItalyVandals broke into the historic church of Pia Opera Pastore in Alcamo, Sicily, causing extensive damage to sacred art, objects and furnishings. Paintings were defaced, religious objects destroyed and the church left in disarray - an attack condemned by local officials as a serious offence against the community and its cultural and religious heritage.
Flottes Church Bells Damaged in Sabotage Act
April 30, 2025, FranceIn Flottes, the bells of Saint-Blaise church were vandalised for the second time in recent weeks, causing them to ring out of tune and resulting in repair costs estimated at €6,000, according to the mayor.
Animal Carcasses Dumped Outside New Forest Churches
April 29, 2025, United KingdomA 47‑year‑old Southampton man pleaded guilty for leaving decapitated animal remains outside multiple Christian churches in a series of acts which have been classified religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm, or distress.
Church Volunteer Assaulted Amid Series of Break-Ins in Concesio
April 27, 2025, ItalyA church volunteer was assaulted during an attempted theft inside a church in Concesio, as part of a series of break-ins affecting multiple parish sites. The incidents involved forced entry, damage, and theft from donation boxes, raising concern within the local community.
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".
Statue of the Virgin Mary and Altar Vandalized on Good Friday
April 18, 2025, FranceA religious site in central Les Sables-d’Olonne was found desecrated on Good Friday, prompting condemnation and restoration efforts by local authorities.
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.