All cases
Two churches severely vandalised in Angers region
April 12, 2023, FranceOn the April 12, 2023, the rector of the Sainte-Madeleine Church in Angers found his church devastated: seven statues had been beheaded or amputated, the altar was vandalized, and many crosses were too. Mr. Verchère, Mayor of the city, and Mr. Darmanin, Minister of the Interior condemned the degradation. On the 18. April, a 40-year-old with criminal records named Brahim was arrested by the police, he was also taken to a hospital for psychiatric examination.
30 Gravestones Vandalized In Church Cemetery near London
April 12, 2023, United KingdomOver three nights on April 12, 13, and 14, in Croydon, thirty gravestones have been destroyed with a sledgehammer - some graves were dating back 500 years, at a Grade I listed church. «The church is appealing for witnesses along with police who are trying to find out who took a sledgehammer to the graves. »
Statuette of Mary Damaged in Ajaccio
April 12, 2023, FranceA statue of Mary, set up eight years ago by the residents of Sevani or Petit Capo beach in Ajaccio was found vandalised on April 12th, 2023. The flowers, the pots which contained them and the candles surrounding the statue were stolen and the statue was tipped aside. This is the first incident in a row of recent anti-Christian vandalisation on Corsica.
Cross Stolen from Church in Burstall
April 11, 2023, United KingdomA 60-90cm Victorian cross and a 45cm lectern have been stolen from a locked vestry at St Mary's Church, Burstall. The theft took place between 9 and 11 April. No arrests have been made and Suffolk Police are still searching for the stolen items.
Destruction of the papal exhibition in Gdańsk
April 10, 2023, PolandOn the night of April 10-11, 2023, a group of young people (two 16-year-olds and one 18-year-old) vandalized an exhibition documenting the relations between "Solidarity" and John Paul II, located at the headquarters of "Solidarity" in Gdańsk. Vandals damaged outdoor boards with infographics about John Paul II.
Belgian Pastor Publicly Defamed and Church Vandalized
April 9, 2023, BelgiumOn the 9th of April, at night, unknown people wrote with white paint "Pa Pedophil" (paedophile pastor) on the evangelical Church of Jemelle. Pastor Grégory Zieleniec received a hateful letter in his mailbox "pedophil en liberté. Il s'agit du pasteur grégory zieleniec" (Free paedophile. This is Pastor Gregory Zieleniec). The Pastor has filed a complaint for insult, vandalism and defamation.
Man on Trial for Extortion of a Priest and Theft from a Church
April 9, 2023, ItalyLorenzo Cerquetta, 43, from Recanati, is on trial at the Court of Macerata accused of theft and extortion against the parish priest of the Church of San Flavino. The man from Recanati blackmailed the priest into giving him 200 euros under the threat of setting fire to the church. On April 9, 2023 he furthermore stole 240 euros from the priest's drawer.
Desecration of Cobeña Church
April 9, 2023, SpainIn the night of April 8 to 9, burglars desecrated the church of San Cipriano in the Madrid town of Cobeña. The burglars threw the tabernacle of the church to the ground, scattering the hosts.
Religious statues stolen from roadside shrine
April 9, 2023, PolandAt Easter 2023, an unknown offender stole the statues of Jesus and Mary from the roadside chapel in the village of Mokre (Rossosz commune).
Teacher in Sardinia suspended for 20 days for praying with her students
April 6, 2023, ItalyMarisa Francescangeli, a primary school teacher in San Vero Milis (Oristano, Sardinia), has been suspended for 20 days with a pay reduction (from 25 March to 15 April) for having made her students construct a rosary for Christmas and praying an Ave Maria and Our Father with them. The Oristano school office's decision of suspension was taken after two mothers protested. While other parents defend her, she said she will appeal the decision.
Two men urinate and defecate inside a German Church
April 5, 2023, GermanyTwo men were arrested on April 5 after having urinated inside of the St. Georg's church of Nördlingen. One perpetrator is 39 years old and the other is 41. The day before, faeces had been found in the same church. In addition, the two men attempted to break the offertory box. As the police searched the suspects' apartments, stolen goods from the previous day were found and seized.
First prison sentence for opposing Ukraine war on religious grounds
April 5, 2023, RussiaMikhail Simonov, a 63-year-old Russian Orthodox Christian, has become the first person to be imprisoned for expressing opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine on religious grounds. Simonov has been accused of disseminating false information about the Russian armed forces "based on political hatred" due to two social media posts in which he criticized Russian attacks on Kiev and Mariupol. One of the posts read "We, Russia, have become godless. Forgive us, Lord!"
Norwegian city under investigation for denying funding to Christian organisations
April 5, 2023, NorwayIn the Norwegian city of Klepp, nine council members are conducting investigations into a suspected case of religious discrimination over the funding of Christian organisations. It is suspected that organisations that adhere to the traditional view of marriage appear to be left out of the community grants.
Sacred Objects Stolen From an Italian Church
April 4, 2023, ItalyOn April 4, intruders broke into the church Santa Caterina da Siena in Coverciano (a suburb of Florence). Sacred objects, including four chalices, and two pyxins (host holders) were stolen. Also, loudspeakers and microphones have been stolen. A parish priest's helper raised the alarm when he noticed that the window of the entrance door had been smashed on Monday morning. Also, a copper gutter was partly torn off the wall. The value of the damage is yet to be estimated. The police are investigating.
Shrine vandalised: Statue broken
April 4, 2023, PolandOn April 4, 2023, an unknown perpetrator destroyed the shrine of Mary located in Warsaw, located at the intersection of Służewiecka Valley and Wilanowska Avenue. The perpetrator dismantled the statue of Mary and smashed it 50 metres from the chapel.
Chapel targeted: Cross broken off
April 4, 2023, PolandOn the night of April 4-5, 2023, the chapel of St. John of Nepomuk located at Odmętowa Street in Krakow was targeted by vandals. They tore off the cross held in the hands of the statue of the saint, thereby damaging the hand of the statue.
Vandalism to a Pope John-Paul II Monument in Lodz
April 2, 2023, PolandOn the 2nd of April, a Statue of Pope John-Paul II was vandalized: the hands were painted red, the face yellow. The sentence "Maxima Culpa" has been written on the pedestal, which is most probably an allusion to Ekke Overbeek's book accusing the late Pope of having closed the eyes on children-abuse cases.
Statue of Pope John Paul II vandalised
April 2, 2023, PolandOn April 2, the 18th anniversary of the Polish pope's death, a statue of him got vandalised in Łódź with Graffiti. At the bottom of the statue the preperator wrote "Maxima Culpa".
Poitiers Cathedral smeared with insulting writings
April 2, 2023, FranceAccording to the French Observatoire de la Christianophobia, the cathedral of Poitiers has been defaced with insults to the Virgin Mary by a local far-left group.
Statue of St. John Paul II vandalised
April 2, 2023, PolandOn 2 April, a statue of St. John Paul II was vandalised in Stalowa Wola. Unknown perpetrators poured red liquid on the Pope's monument in the Basilica of Stalowa Wola.