All cases
Anti-religious graffiti discovered at school premises in Vienna-Liesing
March 31, 2026, AustriaAnti-religious and derogatory graffiti was discovered around the entrance of the St. Ursula schools in Vienna-Liesing, Austria. The inscriptions included slogans targeting religious belief and referencing Christian prayer. The case constitutes vandalism involving ideological messaging in a visible public setting.
Series of Fires and Vandalism Reported in Hildesheim Churches
March 30, 2026, GermanyA fire in the parish garden of St. Godehard Church in Hildesheim has raised concerns after church authorities reported further serious acts of vandalism affecting local churches. Among the incidents disclosed was the discovery of urine in a baptismal font, a particularly disturbing act of desecration.
Thieves Utter Blasphemy Inside Church
March 29, 2026, ItalyUnknown perpetrators stole offerings from the parish church of Santa Maria dei Servi in Ancona, Italy, and reportedly shouted blasphemies inside the church during the incident. The case was presented in local reporting not only as theft, but as an act marked by contempt for a Christian place of worship.
Beheaded Statue of Mary in Klein-Winternheim
March 29, 2026, GermanyUnknown perpetrators beheaded a statue of Mary in a Marian grotto located in Klein-Winternheim. The offenders also damaged devotional objects and stole rosaries and other small religious items.
Repeated vandalism hits Valmaura Church
March 28, 2026, ItalyAfter repeated acts of serious vandalism at the Church of the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows in Valmaura, a holy water font was destroyed. The church has started a fundraising campaign to be able to replace the font.
Church Windows in Salzgitter Smashed in Vandalism
March 28, 2026, GermanyA vandalism attack targeted a church in Salzgitter, damaging several sections of the church’s windows using sticks and glass bottles.
Puy Sainte Réparade Cemetery Graves Desecrated and Opened
March 28, 2026, FranceEleven graves were found defaced and some opened in the cemetery of Puy Sainte Réparade near Aix en Provence. Local authorities condemned the acts as shocking desecration.
Beaujolais Churches Targeted
March 28, 2026, FranceA chapel in Lamure-sur-Azergues and a church in Beaujeu were vandalised on March 28, with broken stained glass windows and damaged doors reported.
Statue and Church Vandalised on Palm Sunday Eve
March 28, 2026, CroatiaA statue of the Virgin Mary and other church property were vandalised outside a church in Labin. The incident occurred on the eve of Palm Sunday, a significant date in the Christian calendar.
Intrusion, Assault and Rising Disorder Around Notre-Dame Immaculée Church
March 27, 2026, BelgiumResidents raised concerns following a series of disturbances around Notre-Dame Immaculée Church in late March 2026. The most serious incident involved an intrusion during a religious service, when an individual disrupted the ceremony, threw a cross onto the altar and assaulted a parishioner.
Supreme Court Acquits MP for Bible Verse Tweet, Convicts Over Church Pamphlet
March 26, 2026, FinlandFinland’s Supreme Court has unanimously acquitted parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen of “hate speech” charges related to a 2019 social media post in which she cited a Bible verse to express her views on marriage and sexual ethics. At the same time, in a narrow 3–2 decision, the Court convicted Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola over the publication of a church pamphlet originally written in 2004.
Religious Ornaments Depicting Christ Stolen from 103 Graves at Wavre Cemetery
March 26, 2026, BelgiumReligious metal ornaments, mainly depicting Christ and crucifixion scenes, were stolen from 103 graves at Wavre cemetery, in what authorities see as part of a wider pattern of cemetery thefts in Belgium.
Severe vandalism and theft at the Church of the Four Holy Evangelists in Vienna
March 25, 2026, AustriaOn the afternoon of 25 March 2026, the Church of the Four Holy Evangelists in Vienna-Oberbaumgarten was targeted in a serious act of vandalism and theft. The interior was extensively damaged and two bronze sculptures of saints were stolen.
Wave of Vandalism and Thefts in Frosinone Churches Raises Concern
March 24, 2026, ItalyOver the past two months, several churches in Frosinone have been affected by repeated thefts and acts of vandalism targeting sacred objects. One particularly disturbing incident occurred on 24 March 2026, when a woman approached the altar, turned a statue upside down, struck a cross, and removed the altar cloth, actions captured on CCTV.
Vandalism at Saint-Pierre Church in Caen
March 22, 2026, FranceAn act of vandalism at Saint-Pierre Church in Caen left a stained glass window broken.
Vandalism in Garbenteich Church: Bible Damaged with Fire
March 22, 2026, GermanyA Protestant church in Garbenteich was vandalised, with fire damage affecting the altar Bible and altar area.
Altar and Sacred Objects Targeted in Deliberate Desecration
March 21, 2026, BelgiumA church in Lommel was again targeted by vandals who left sexually explicit messages and desecrated the altar and religious objects. The incident forms part of a series of repeated attacks, including with arson, on the same church in recent months.
Catholic Priest Faces Criminal Investigation Over Statements on Church Teaching on Sexuality
March 20, 2026, IcelandMonsignor Jakob Rolland is facing a potential criminal trial after explaining Catholic teaching on homosexuality in a radio interview and stating that the Church offers spiritual guidance to persons with same-sex attraction who seek it. Following the interview, LGBTIQ advocacy groups launched a campaign calling for legal action, leading to a police examination of the Catholic priest under Iceland’s 2023 ban on “conversion practices”.
Parish in Provaglio d’Iseo Targeted by Vandalism
March 20, 2026, ItalyThe church of Saints Peter and Paul in Provaglio d’Iseo was targeted by vandalism, with its historic rose windows heavily damaged by stones.
Cross Destroyed in Vandalism at Memorial in Szczecin
March 19, 2026, PolandUnknown perpetrators vandalised a memorial lapidarium in Szczecin, damaging tombstones and a stone cross.