All cases
Excrements Smeared on Church Wall
August 24, 2025, ItalyThe historic Sant’Antonio al Seggio church in Aversa was vandalised with human excrement near its entrance, prompting public outrage and calls for stronger protection of churches.
Arson Attack at Notre-Dame Church in Saint-Dizier
August 20, 2025, FranceA 20-year-old man has been arrested for attempting to start fires inside Notre-Dame church in Saint-Dizier. Thankfully, the organist was able to extinguish the fires before they could spread further. This is the fourth incident at the church in the last two years, raising safety concerns among the local community.
Churches in Carini Closed Amid Surge in Theft and Vandalism
August 18, 2025, ItalyDue to escalating thefts and vandalism, the archpriest of Carini has decided to close all churches when no religious services are scheduled, sparking concern over the loss of sacred community spaces.
Church in Granada vandalised and set on fire
August 17, 2025, SpainOn 17 August 2025, a 21-year-old man broke into the Church of Santiago Apóstol in El Pozuelo, Albuñol (Granada), smashing a stained glass window with a hammer. He then proceeded to destroy religious artefacts and set fire to items belonging to the church before locking himself inside.
Two Churches Attacked by Knife-Wielding Man, Disrupting Mass
August 16, 2025, FranceA suspected drug addict armed with a Swiss Army knife desecrated two churches near Paris, terrifying worshippers and resisting arrest.
Christian Bakery Condemned After Refusing to Bake Same-Sex Wedding Cake
August 13, 2025, SwedenSweden’s Equality Ombudsman (DO) has ruled against a small Christian bakery in Stockholm who had declined to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple in 2023. The decision, published on August 13, 2025, acknowledges that the bakery’s refusal was based on religious conviction and falls under the protection of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Nevertheless, the authority concluded that the refusal constituted unlawful discrimination.
Church in Spain Vandalised Ahead of Patron Saint Festivities
August 11, 2025, SpainJust days before the Virgen del Carmen festivities in Rute, the parish of Santa Catalina was vandalised with black paint being spilled across its main entrance.
Priest attacked in Hubová
July 29, 2025, SlovakiaOn July 29, a Catholic priest was attacked in his house. According to the mayor of Hubová, the attacker appeared at the parish house and assaulted the priest in the entrance hall with an electric cable. The priest sustained minor injuries to his face and legs, but managed to push the man outside, lock the door behind him and alert the police.
Vandalism of Wooden Statue
July 29, 2025, GermanyOn July 29, unknown individuals entered the church, damaged a wooden statue as well as the interior plaster, and then fled without being identified. The damage is estimated at several hundred euros. The motives for the act are still under investigation.
Anti-Christian slogan and satanic symbols on Church in Pesaro
July 27, 2025, ItalyDuring the weekend of July 27, the facade of the Maddalena Church of Pesaro was defaced with the phrase “Clean churches, silent people,” along with a pentagram, which is commonly used as Satanic symbol, and black paint drawings resembling foetuses.
Vandalism of Catholic Academy and Church ahead of Award to Bishop Barron
July 27, 2025, GermanyIn the days leading up to the Josef‑Pieper Prize ceremony in Münster, vandals sprayed slogans on the Franz‑Hitze‑Haus academy and local church and defaced several Christian statues with red paint. State security has since launched an investigation.
Armed Robbery Attempted During Mass
July 27, 2025, ItalyA masked gunman stormed into the chapel of the Dominican Sisters' institute in Sant'Anastasia, near Naples, during Mass. He attempted to rob the congregation and fired a blank shot into the air.
Pro‑Palestinian Protesters Disrupt Mass at La Madeleine in Paris
July 26, 2025, FranceOn the evening of July 26, 2025, pro‑Palestinian activists entered La Madeleine church in Paris during Mass, shouting slogans about the conflict in Gaza, thus interrupting the liturgy. The rector of the church denounced the demonstration as a violation of sacred ritual, stating he intended to press charges.
Cross sawn up and corpus placed upside down
July 25, 2025, GermanyVandals sawed down a roughly two-metre-high cross outside a church in Bann, desecrated the figure of Christ, and urinated in the sacristy—prompting shock in the local community and an ongoing police investigation.
Historic Chapel in Limbiate Vandalized Overnight
July 25, 2025, ItalyVandals broke into the small chapel at Villa Pusterla in Mombello di Limbiate and destroyed interior fixtures, decapitating the statue of Saint Anthony. Officials confirmed the incident as intentional vandalism and urged improved security.
Arson attack on the Notre-Dame-des-Champs Church in Paris
July 24, 2025, FranceThe Church of Notre-Dame-des-Champs in Paris was closed to the public after two fires occurred within 48 hours on July 23 and 24, 2025. One of the fires was confirmed to be of criminal origin. Authorities launched an investigation while restoration has begun on the damaged interior.
Arson at Germany's Largest Wooden Church
July 20, 2025, GermanyA fire damaged the facade and roof truss of the Evangelical Marktkirche in Clausthal-Zellerfeld on the night of July 20, 2025, in what officials later determined to be arson.
Syrian Christian Asylum Seekers under Threat
July 15, 2025, NetherlandsIn a recent statement, the Interchurch Foundation warned that discrimination against Syrian Christians in Dutch asylum seeker centres had increased sharply over the past six months. For example, a Christian Syrian mother was threatened with death and told that her family would be targeted. Understandably, such threats have caused serious fear among Christian asylum seekers, some of whom are now hiding their religion to avoid being targeted.
Arson and Break-in: Repeated targeting of churches in Sierck-les-Bains
July 13, 2025, FranceOn the night of 13 July, the room adjoining the church in Sierck-les-Bains was vandalised. The white plastic door was completely destroyed. A week earlier, two teenagers had been arrested for setting fire to a chapel in the same municipality.
Church desecrated by excrement
July 13, 2025, FranceThe Arudy church was desecrated overnight on 13 July, with a large amount of faeces left inside and outside the building. The parish priest intends to file a complaint. He also found urine on the sacristy door and the tablecloth that usually covers the altar thrown over the stools.
Vandalism in Münster church leads to restricted opening hours
July 10, 2025, GermanyAs reported on 10 July, St. Bonifatius Church in Münster will remain closed outside of services due to a series of troubling acts of vandalism. According to the local pastor, Dr Heike Köhler, the building has repeatedly been defiled with faeces and littered with broken beer bottles. There have also been incidents of arson. Most recently, photographs of baptism candidates were deliberately set on fire.
Incitement to burn churches and priests
July 9, 2025, ItalyOn the morning of 9 July, graffiti inciting violence against churches and priests was discovered on a house next to the Basilica of San Domenico in Perugia. The slogan read: "Churches should be burned down, but with the priests inside; otherwise it's not enough". An anarchist and transgender symbol was placed next to the quote.
Vandalism in Velen church
July 8, 2025, GermanyRepeated acts of vandalism at St. Andrew's Church in Velen, in the Borken district. The church has been left in a state of disarray, with overturned candles and firecrackers set off next to the high altar. The most recent example: The icon of 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help' was sprayed with wax, and the damage is estimated to be in the mid-three-digit range.
Arson at the pilgrimage chapel in Friedberg
July 8, 2025, GermanyUnknown individuals deliberately set multiple small fires inside the Maria Alber chapel in Friedberg-West. On the evening of 8 July, several pieces of partially burned paper, including church leaflets, newspapers and torn pages from the chapel's prayer book, were found under pews and near the candle stands. Parish officials have reported growing unease among community members, as this is not the first arson attack in recent weeks.
Hostilities erupt outside church in Langenau
July 7, 2025, GermanyViolence by pro-Palestine demonstrators against the congregation of St Martin's Protestant Church in Langenau, in the Alb-Donau district, has escalated. During an unannounced gathering outside the church, two protesters reportedly became physically violent and verbally abusive. Due to the repeated demonstrations becoming increasingly violent, many parishioners have stopped attending services out of fear.
Altar of church in Lido vandalised
July 6, 2025, ItalyUnknown individuals entered the church of Tarquinia Lido, Maria Santissima Stella del mare, and overturned and damaged all the objects on the altar. According to reports, the vandals entered through a window at the back of the church and then targeted the side chapel where the consecrated hosts are kept.
Arson attack in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Helpers Stop Arsonist
July 6, 2025, GermanyOn the afternoon of Saturday, June 29, 2025, a 28-year-old man allegedly set fire to several altars in the Catholic parish church of St. Martin in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. According to police, the man intentionally ignited altar cloths using a lighter and caused damage estimated in the high four-figure range. Two church visitors extinguished the flames before the fire department arrived and overpowered the suspect, who has been temporarily placed in a psychiatric clinic by court order.
Salsasio church closes to public due to repeated vandalism
July 3, 2025, ItalyFollowing repeated acts of vandalism and harassment of the faithful, the parish of Salsasio has decided to close the church on Via Novara to the public, keeping it open only for religious services. Parish leaders denounced the incidents as showing “contempt for a sacred place and for Christianity,” and expressed serious concern for the safety of the church and its sacred objects.
Arsonists Ignite Five Fires in Lavesum’s Antonius Church
July 2, 2025, GermanyOn Friday, July 2, 2025, unknown individuals set multiple fires inside the Antonius Church in Lavesum, causing significant damage. Among the destroyed items was the canopy (baldachin) above the altar, and church officials suspect arson.
Sacristan struck down with cross
June 30, 2025, GermanyOn June 30, a man attacked the sacristan of the Catholic St. Nikolaus parish in Rodgau, using a crucifix as a weapon. The attacker, who is born in Syria and holds Lebanese and German citizenship, initially confronted the church worker after being approached about loud music coming from his parked car. He kicked the sacristy door, punched the sacristan, and then tore a 1.6-meter crucifix from the wall, striking the victim so forcefully that it broke. According to reports, he then tried to use the broken pieces of the figure of Jesus as a stabbing weapon and shouted to a passerby, “Help me kill him.”
Crucifix set alight and 40 headstones smashed
June 29, 2025, United KingdomA large wooden crucifix was set on fire and around 40 headstones were smashed in a serious act of vandalism at St Conval’s Cemetery in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, Scotland, in the early hours of Sunday, June 29, 2025. The Catholic community has expressed deep sorrow over the attack, which Bishop John Keenan described as “destructive violence.” A 39-year-old man has since been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
Salerno Church doors smeared with excrements
June 28, 2025, ItalyOn the morning of June 28, 2025, vandals defaced the Church of Sant’Anna al Porto in Salerno by smearing feces on both the main entrance and sacristy doors. This marked the second consecutive day of such an attack, discovered by Monsignor Claudio Raimondi and several parishioners.
Police investigate Arson at Northampton Church
June 27, 2025, United KingdomOn the evening of June 27, 2025, a fire broke out at St Mary’s Church on Towcester Road in Northampton. Emergency services were called to the scene, and police are treating the incident as arson.
Vandal attacks parish staff when caught
June 27, 2025, GermanyOn June 27, a 26-year-old man vandalised the floor of a church in Traunreut with a felt-tip pen and punched a church representative in the face when confronted. The suspect fled the scene but was later temporarily arrested by local police
Church in Peine target of arson
June 25, 2025, GermanyOn the morning of 25 June, a Catholic parish church in Peine, Germany, was targeted in an attempted arson attack. The fire, likely started using accelerants, caused minor damage to the entrance door but was quickly extinguished by a church employee before it could spread.
Church in Orne desecrated
June 24, 2025, FranceThe tabernacle of the church in Mortagne-au-Perche (Orne) was desecrated on Tuesday, 24 June 2025. The religious building has been temporaily closed and will reopen on Saturday, 28 June for a Mass of Reparation.
British Catholic Hospices Face Closure Following Assisted Suicide Vote
June 20, 2025, United KingdomBritish Catholic hospices and care homes for the elderly face potential closure after the controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was approved at Third Reading in the House of Commons on 20 June, passing by a narrow majority of just 23 votes. This bill, if enacted, would compel Catholic palliative care institutions that refuse to participate in assisted suicide on the basis of Christian teachings to either comply or face closure, raising deep concerns over the protection of institutional conscientious objection.
Arson Attack on Evangelical Street Preacher’s Trailer in Gütersloh
June 20, 2025, GermanyIn the pre-dawn hours of June 20, 2025, unknown assailants set fire to a vehicle trailer belonging to street preacher Henning Heinrich Westrup in Gütersloh, North Rhine‑Westphalia. The trailer, emblazoned with the message “Jesus saves”, suffered extensive damage to its protective tarpaulin and exterior in what authorities are investigating as a deliberate act of arson.
Liturgical Gospel Book Ripped Apart in St. Ulrich bei Steyr Church
June 19, 2025, AustriaBetween Monday 17 and Wednesday 19 June 2025, an unknown individual severely damaged a liturgical gospel at St Ulrich's parish church in Steyr, Austria. Parish staff found the Gospel, which had been left open on the side altar, completely vandalised — every single one of its 300 pages had been torn down the middle.
Church in Lingen Suffered Heavy Vandalism
June 18, 2025, GermanyOn the afternoon of Saturday, June 18, 2025, unidentified individuals broke into the Romanesque-Gothic St. Alexander Church in Lingen-Schepsdorf, leaving a trail of destruction. Several religious statues were vandalised—one completely destroyed, others defaced with melted wax—deeply shocking the local community, especially as this is not an isolated incident.
Profanation of Church in Provins during Festival
June 14, 2025, FranceDuring the medieval festival Médiévales, held on 14–15 June 2025, the Collégiale Saint-Quiriace in Provins was desecrated. This Gothic collegiate church, which is a historic landmark in the Diocese of Meaux, was open to both pilgrims and festival exhibitors. However, several stalls displayed occult and neo-pagan items, including books on Satanism, inside the sacred space. Witnesses also reported seeing a shirtless man dressed as a satyr, wearing horns, parading through the nave, alongside erotic imagery placed among the church’s pillars. The local bishop denounced this violation of the church's spiritual dignity.
Arson Attack at Market Drayton’s St Mary’s Church
June 9, 2025, United KingdomSt Mary’s Church in Market Drayton, Shropshire, was the target of a deliberate arson attack. Firefighters from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service were alerted on the morning of 9 June, arriving to find the large oak rear door of the church engulfed in flames. The fire was threatening to spread to nearby curtains and wooden roof timbers. Thanks to their swift emergency response, firefighters contained the fire before it could cause more extensive damage.
Vandals Cause Extensive Damage to Great Yarmouth Minster Windows
June 9, 2025, United KingdomAccording to a BBC article, published on June 9th, the historic Great Yarmouth Minster, the largest parish church in England, was targeted by vandals who hurled stones at its leaded windows, shattering dozens of diamond-shaped panes and severely damaging one large stained-glass window. The attack occurred in broad daylight, while church wardens were still cleaning up earlier damage. During the cleanup, another stone was thrown through a window, prompting staff to run outside and spot two teenage boys fleeing the scene.
Vandalism St. Anna Basilica in Altötting: Pentecost Service Relocated
June 8, 2025, GermanyOn the night before Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025, a 19-year-old man vandalised the pilgrimage church of St. Anna in Altötting, damaging and soiling numerous sacred objects. Police estimate the resulting property damage to be in the mid-five-figure range. The violent incident disrupted morning Pentecost services.
Church in Sindelfingen Vandalised
June 7, 2025, GermanyA church situated on Liebenzeller Straße in Sindelfingen, Baden-Württemberg, was targeted in a spree of vandalism. The damage was discovered later that day, with police confirming that unknown individuals had overturned liturgical furnishings, breaking off several candle holders, removing floral arrangements, plant pots, shelving, and other church fixtures, and relocating them to the building’s entrance vestibule.
Germany: Anti-Christian Hate Crimes rise by 22%
June 6, 2025, GermanyThe German Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) recorded 337 politically motivated anti-Christian hate crimes for 2024, an increase of 21.66% from 277 crimes in 2023. This represents a continuation of the negative trend observed in the previous year, during which anti-Christian hate crimes increased by 100%.
Desecration of Crucifix in Rudy Raciborskie Forest
June 5, 2025, PolandA wooden roadside crucifix in Rudy Raciborskie, Poland, was deliberately vandalised in a shocking incident. The perpetrators sawed off the arms of the figure of Jesus, turned it upside down and draped rubbish over the desecrated image. Locals say this was timed to coincide with a significant celebration at the nearby sanctuary marking the 25th anniversary of the coronation of Our Lady of Pokorna. Residents described the incident as a deeply symbolic and intentional assault on their place of prayer.
Spanish Evangelicals banned from using funeral chapels
May 31, 2025, SpainIn May 2025, the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE) filed a formal complaint with the Spanish ombudsman, denouncing discrimination against the evangelical community in Spain, including a ban on using funeral chapels.
Vandals Assault Parishioner And Destroy Church Window During Choir Practice
May 30, 2025, United KingdomOn 30 May, 2025, a choir member was physically assaulted and a historic stained-glass window was broken during an evening rehearsal at St. Mary the Virgin Church in West Derby, Liverpool. This attack deeply shook both the choir members and the wider parish and raises concerns about personal safety in this sacred space.
Chapel and cemetery in Levens damaged by fires
May 26, 2025, FranceThe commune of Levens in the Alpes-Maritimes region of southeastern France experienced a series of deliberate fires targeting sacred sites. The Chapelle des Pénitents Noirs and the adjacent cemetery were both affected, with fires being started on the altar cloths in the chapel and in plastic flower pots in front of several graves. These acts of vandalism have left the local community in shock and mourning, particularly as some of the incidents occurred during visits to the cemetery on Mother's Day.