All cases
Man Threatens to Explode Church During Mass in Valmontone
November 10, 2023, ItalyAt the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Piazza Pilozzi in Valmontone, a man entered with a gas cylinder and lighter, threatening to explode the church. The 35-year-old man from Romania insulted and threatened the parish priest, attempting to extort money from him. The police arrived and were able to detain the man. He was taken to a prison in Valletri.
Man Starts a Fire in Confessional of Church in Oropesa del Mar
November 10, 2023, SpainAn individual deliberately started a fire in a confessional at the parish of San Jaime in Oropesa del Mar. The fire was able to be put out and did not injure anyone. The Local Police of Oropesa del Mar were able to identify the man who started the fire and arrest him.
Offensive Graffiti vandalises Church Wall in Munich
November 8, 2023, GermanyOn November 8, a picture was posted on social media of an offensive writing in graffiti on the outside wall of St. Lukas Church in Munich. The writing read: "F*ck your God". Pastor Steve Kennedy Henkel said, "as a church in the city, we are used to vandalism; recently a stone was thrown through the church window after a funeral service." The pastor has replaced the first word of the graffiti, so that it now reads: "I love you! Your God." Pastor Henkel explained: "What would be more natural for us as Christians to respond to hatred with love?" It has not been reported if any police investigation has been launched following this incident.
Man Disrupts Mass shouting “Allah Akbar”
November 8, 2023, FranceOn Sunday, November 5, the mass celebrated at Saint-Éloi Church in Dunkirk was disrupted by an individual who shouted “ Allah Akbar ”. The man was shouting during the “Our Father” prayer and at the end of the mass.
Ethical Review of Euthanasia in Jersey Disregards 'Indirect Conscientious Objection'
November 7, 2023, United KingdomAn ethical review by medical law experts has been conducted in Jersey to assess the implications that the approval of euthanasia, "Assisted Dying" (AD), would have on the island. While noting the necessity of several limitations to euthanasia based on ethical issues, the experts stated that conscientious objection should not be granted to everyone, excluding people not directly involved in the death, such as receptionists or drivers.
£10,000 worth of damage through church vandalism
November 7, 2023, United KingdomAt around 4.30pm on Tuesday, November 7, the St Mary’s and All Saints Church in Beaconsfield was heavily vandalised. The damage is estimated at around £10,000.
Christian worker fired after refusing to work during church's Sunday service
November 5, 2023, United KingdomFormer employee of Sainsbury's Jacqueline Rendell is suing the supermarket chain for "unfair dismissal" alleging she was fired for refusing to work on Sunday mornings so she could attend Sunday services at church. She claims the supermarket chain fired her because she refused demands to work every Sunday morning.
Spanish Government Denies Religious Asylum to Chinese Christians
November 5, 2023, SpainSeveral Chinese Christians have been arriving in Spain since the end of October seeking religious asylum after being denied it in other countries. The lack of response from the Spanish government puts their physical integrity at risk if they are deported to China. Among them is a famous Chinese Catholic actress, Li Yan Li, who has said she would rather die than return to China.
Arson Attack on Church in Vado
November 4, 2023, ItalyA fire was started at the church of Santa Maria in Vado on November 4 at around 8:45 AM. It was reported that the perpetrator set fire to a tent set up in the churchyard. From there, the fire then spread to the front door of the church. People in the church noticed and notified the fire department, then used water to start putting out the fire. The firefighters arrived and finished putting out the fire. Smoke filled the interior of the church and an old notice board was destroyed. Police investigated the scene, and the vandal was reportedly caught on surveillance cameras and already identified.
Desecration and theft at Quirón hospital chapel
November 4, 2023, SpainThe chapel of the Quirón hospital in Torrevieja was desecrated and the tabernacle and chalice were stolen.
Monstrance Stolen from Church in Schophoven
November 3, 2023, GermanyA valuable monstrance, among other religious objects, was stolen from St. Barbara Church in Schophoven during the night of November 3. The mayor of Schophoven, Matthias Hahn, entered the church in the morning to find the tabernacle opened. Liturgical objects, including the monstrance, were stolen. Some of the items taken were a goblet spoon, a ciborium, and a drinking cup. A St. Barbara relic fell to the floor and was bent, but not taken. The sacristy door was also broken open, and the wall safe had been removed from the wall and broken into.
Bible Stolen from the Altar of the Church of Ķekava
November 2, 2023, LatviaOn November 4, the congregation of the Church of Ķekava announced on Facebook that an old Bible had been stolen from the church's altar. The Facebook post said that it could have been taken as early as November 2. The church community is trying to retrieve the Bible, and the thief has not been found.
Church tagged with graffiti: "Traitor Christian"
November 1, 2023, FranceOn November 1, 2023, the Saint-Fiacre church in Villers-lès-Nancy was sprayed with graffiti, reading "Traitor Christian". The tags are considered to have a connection with the Israel-Hamas war.
Repeated vandalism of the "White Virgin of Madrid"
October 31, 2023, SpainAccording to news reports from March 2024, a statue of Mary in Madrid has been repeatedly vandalised. After Halloween, the statue was found with satanic signs on its face.
Man Attacks People Praying outside Abortion Clinic
October 28, 2023, AustriaDuring the prayer initative "40 Days for Life" a man and a woman holding signs and praying outside an abortion clinic in Vienna were attacked by a man. The man snatched the signs, which displayed the picture of a baby, from them and violently broke the signs into pieces. He also took one of the signs and ran away with it.
Churches in Alessandria Desecrated
October 28, 2023, ItalyIn the afternoon of October 28, the Church of San Giovannino was desecrated. A young man entered the presbytery, climbed onto the alter to reach for the crucifix and threw it on the floor, breaking it into several pieces. After that, he removed a crucifix from the wall at the front of the church and broke it. The incident was filmed by security cameras, though the man had put out the candles in the church as to not be recognized.
Scottish MP says she left her party after being 'unwelcome as a Christian'
October 25, 2023, United KingdomScottish MP Dr Lisa Cameron shared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour how she had felt marginalised in the Scottish National Party (SNP) because of her Christian faith and pressured to vote against her convictions. Now defected to the Conservative Party, Dr Cameron voted against the 2020 new abortion regime for Northern Ireland and disagreed with bills which sought to legalise assisted suicide in England and Wales.
Tablecloth on the altar of Saint-Symphorien Church
October 24, 2023, FranceOn October 24, the tablecloth on the altar of the Saint-Symphorien Church of Loué, Sarthe, was set on fire. As the alert was given very quickly the local priests were able to extinguish the fire and prevent further damages. Local authorities, however, expressed concern about the symbolism of this incident.
Historical 16th century crucifix destroyed in Seville
October 22, 2023, SpainThe historic crucifix located in the Santa Marta square in Seville was destroyed on the night of October 22nd by unknown perpetrators. It dated to the 16th century and had a carving of a crucifix on one side and a pietà on the other.
Sacred Objects Stolen from Church in Brenna
October 22, 2023, PolandUnknown perpetrators broke into the church of St. John the Baptist in Brenna on October 22 between 9:00 PM and midnight and stole sacred objects. According to Cieszyn police spokesman Krzysztof Pawlik, the thieves stole a gold-plated chalice and a reliquary.