All cases
Vandals Damage Statues in Chapel in Żuklin
July 31, 2023, PolandIn Żuklin, in Kańczuga commune, two religious figures were vandalised by unknown perpetrators. The damage caused to the chapel was noticed by residents who were shocked upon discovering the act of vandalism. The eyes of a statue of Mary and a statue of Jesus were defaced.
Desecration of a painting of the Last Supper
July 31, 2023, PolandOn July 31, the Parish priest of the Our Lady Queen of Poland church in Chojnice reported that the Last Supper painting near the church entrance was vandalised. Specifically, one of the Apostles' faces was cut out.
Teenager Sets Fire to Liebfrauenkapelle
July 31, 2023, GermanyOn the 31st of July, a fire broke out in the Liebfrauenkapelle in Neuhausen, damaging several furnishings. The authorities were promptly alerted by a 78-year-old man who was passing by and had noticed a teenage boy running away.
Theft and vandalism in the Grästorp's Church
July 31, 2023, SwedenOn July 31, 2023, the perpetrator caused significant damage to a church in Grästorp. The man smashed a window and emptied a fire extinguisher in the church. The damage is estimated at SEK 13,350 (1,400 euro), according to the indictment. At the same time, he and an unknown accomplice committed theft by taking a cassock. The perpetrator was arrested, but denies the offence.
Thousands Stolen from Church During Mass in Ferentino
July 30, 2023, ItalyOn the 30th of July, a group of thieves targeted the church of San Giuseppe in Ferentino (Frosinone), seizing several thousand euros from the sacristy while the parish priest, Don Fabio, was celebrating mass. The perpetrators forcefully entered the sacristy, breaking down its door, and escaped with an estimated loot of three thousand euros.
Chapel of San Vicente Vandalised Again
July 30, 2023, SpainOn the 30th of July, the chapel of San Vicente de O Grove was vandalised once more. Its door was forcibly opened, all the windows in the sacristy were shattered, and a broken flower pot, which did not belong to the chapel, was left there. Parish priest Juan Ventura Martínez filed a complaint with the Civil Guard following the incident.
63-Year-Old Sets two Bibles on Fire on Church Altar
July 30, 2023, GermanyOn the 30th of July, a 63-year-old man set fire to two Bibles on the altar of a church in the Ravensburg district. Firefighters intervened to restrain the man before the police arrived and arrested him. Due to the firefighter's prompt intervention, the fire did not spread to the church or its furniture.
Cross broken off a chapel
July 30, 2023, FranceThe cross of the Saint Maur chapel, a 17th-century building located in the Brotonne forest in Vatteville-la-Rue, was broken by vandals at the end of July 2023. The roof was damaged and the cross broken, probably ‘by stones being thrown’, said Jacques Charron, the local mayor.
Patostreamer livestreams criminal action in church
July 30, 2023, PolandOn July 30, 2023, Szymon Besser, a well-known live broadcaster broke into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John Paul II in Toruń. He recorded the whole incident live and broadcast it on the internet.
Monstrance and Money stolen from Church
July 29, 2023, GermanyOn July 29, unknown perpetrators broke into the parish church in Fulda and stole the monstrance. They also stole some money.
Severe Vandalism in the Church of Notre-Dame in Lencloitre
July 29, 2023, FranceOn July 29, the church of Notre-Dame de Lencloître was the target of acts of vandalism by unknown perpetrators. The vandals broke into the tabernacle, threw the ciborium and hosts to the ground and broke the candles. They also left tendentious drawings on dusty chairs. The parish priest has reported the incident to the police.
Vandalism to Cemetery and Church
July 28, 2023, GermanyOn July 27, the cemetery in Rimbach has been vandalised. Grave lights were knocked over, holy water containers tore out, flowers were bent over, etc. According to the media, there have already been repeated acts of vandalism and damage to property in the church in Rimbach throughout 2023. Coat hooks were also torn from the church benches, books were thrown into the holy water, wax was poured into the holy water and similar acts were carried out.
Monstrance with Host Stolen from Fulda Parish Church
July 28, 2023, GermanyUnknown perpetrators stole a monstrance with a consecrated host from the city parish church. The theft, discovered by the sexton during the church's closing on July 28, involved the breaking of a pane glass to access the sacred item. The case was reported to the police who started investigating it as a serious case of theft.
Church of the Madonna dei Farauli Targeted by Vandals
July 28, 2023, ItalyOn the 28 of July, the Church of the Madonna dei Farauli in Sternatia was attacked by vandals. An unknown perpetrator(s) threw stones at the window on the entrance door of the church, destroying the glass.
Several religious statues stolen
July 28, 2023, FranceA recent and rather large statue of Mary of Fatima was stolen from the Notre Dame church in Niort, in the Deux-Sèvres diocese of Poitiers, on 28 July. However, this is not an isolated case.
6th Vandalism incident at church in Høvik
July 28, 2023, NorwayHøvik Church in Bærum has been damaged by vandals several times. Many stones have been thrown at the church windows and there has also been a break-in at the parish house opposite the church.
Hermitage in Puente de Génave desecrated
July 27, 2023, SpainOne July 27, the San Juan Bautista hermitage in Peñolite, Puente de Génave, was broken into and desecrated.
Man uses stolen cross to injure another man
July 27, 2023, GermanyOn July 27, a man stole a cross and a priest stole from St. Joseph church in Ebersberg, Bavaria. Wearing the stole, he then used the cross to attack another man.
Sweden: Christian Bakery Reported After Declining To do a Homosexual Wedding Cake
July 26, 2023, SwedenAt the end of July, it was communicated that a Swedish bakery has been reported to the Discrimination Ombudsman after they declined to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The Christian bakers believe that the person who ordered the cake already knew their religious beliefs and intentionally generated this case.
Vandalism at Mariengrotte of St. Martin Church
July 26, 2023, GermanyBetween July 26 and 28, unknown vandals damaged a statue in Mariengrotte, between the Church of St. Martin and the parish office. A flower vase was also found destroyed and sacrificially candles were found smeared in the church. The police were notified and opened an investigation to find the culprits.