All cases

Sacred Objects Stolen From an Italian Church

On 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

On 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

On 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

On 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

On 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

According 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

On 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.

Church closed after robbery and damage

During the night of 1 April, the Sainte-Thérèse church in Metz (France) was robbed and damaged. The Sunday morning service the following day was cancelled. The rector filed a complaint.

Two People arrested for having stolen 14 Skulls in a Church Ossuary

On the 1. April, two German men were arrested after a random police control for having stolen 14 skulls in a Church Ossuary in Mölbling, Austria. The men said they had taken the skulls because they were interested in mourning and funeral cultures. The 43-year-old driver and his 35-year-old passenger from the Regensburg area said they had never stolen skulls before. The police seized the objects and stated that the two death cult fans would be charged with disturbing the peace of the dead after the investigation was completed.

Catholic School Students and Teachers Receive Online Death Threats

On the 31. March 2023, pupils and teachers from the Catholic School "Saint-Pierre", in the southern city of Montrond-les-Bains, received a threatening message in the school's intern e-mail box. An unknown person, probably an outsider, threatened pupils of with death with the words "I'm going to cut your throat". An investigation has been opened by the police.

Destruction of John Paul II Image

On the night of March 31, 2023, unknown perpetrators destroyed the mural of St. John Paul II in Wrocław on Ostrów Tumski. The Pope's face was covered in red paint, while the rest of the image was not damaged.

Thugs who vandalised seven churches caught

The thugs who vandalised six churches in Ile-de-France and another in Grenoble in January 2022 have been charged by a French court. The defendants had stolen money from churches and even consecrated hosts.

Parish cemetery vandalised

On 27 March 2023, an unknown offender damaged 8 monuments in the necropolis of the cemetery of the parish of St. Andrew the Apostle in Brody Poznańskie.

Nuns Leave Nantes City Centre After Constant Insecurity

On 3 March, the newspaper "Le Figaro" published an interview with two nuns who were forced to leave the centre of Nantes because of hostility and insecurity. They are called Sister Agathe and Sister Marie-Anne and they are moving to another place called Reims. The sisters argue that they are exhausted by the insecurity and have been subjected to "blows, spitting and insults".

Church in Cambrai closed due to repeated vandalism

The church of Saint-Géry in Cambrai, France, will remain closed to the public Due to repeated vandalism in recent weeks. The volunteers who look after the church are helpless and very shocked by this situation, no longer knowing how to protect this cultural and religious heritage.

Theft Poland 2023

TV-Channel Prohibits News Presenter from Wearing A Cross Pendant

The Swiss TV sender SRF has prohibited the moderator Wasiliki Goutziomitros to wear a cross necklace during the program. Ms. Goutziomitros is a presenter on the news program "10 vor 10", and was seen wearing a small cross pendant. Now, the SRF has decided that it violates journalistic guidelines. This has caused a great discussion in Switzerland regarding religious freedom. This news was reported around the 24th of March.

Couple arrested after stealing from eight churches

As reported on March 23, a couple was arrested for stealing religious figures in eight churches. They are accused of nine crimes of robbery with force inside churches. According to reports from the region, burglaries in churches are a problem in many small towns.

Minors set fire inside church

On the afternoon of 23 March, witnesses found minors attacking the furniture in the church of Saint-Briac, France. The youths had even set fire to some posters on a pillar next to the collection box. The fire brigade and police intervened and the damage was limited.

Religious Objects Stolen

On 22 March, religious objects including furnitures and silk liturgical clothes were stolen in a church in Lincolnshire.