All cases
Crucifix and confessionals vandalised in San Pietro a Vico Church
March 11, 2026, ItalyUnknown perpetrators vandalised San Pietro a Vico Church, destroying confessionals and breaking a crucifix.
Altar vandalised inside Saint Roch Church in Paris
March 9, 2026, FranceAn altar inside Saint-Roch Church featuring a large gilded structure resembling the Ark of the Covenant was vandalised by unknown individuals. The attackers damaged decorative elements causing significant damage to the 19th-century religious piece.
Viterbo Church defaced with satanic graffiti with inverted crosses.
March 7, 2026, ItalySatanic graffiti, including inverted crosses and “666,” was sprayed on the facade of a Catholic church in Viterbo. The messages explicitly referenced Satan and targeted the Christian place of worship. Police identified the perpetrator through surveillance footage, and a 34-year-old man has been arrested.
Linked arson attacks target two Catholic Churches in Westmeath
March 6, 2026, IrelandTwo Catholic churches in County Westmeath were deliberately set on fire over the weekend. Both incidents caused damage to the main entrances and are being treated by authorities as deliberate arsons attacks, which seem to be linked.
Vandalism and theft at Catholic church and Bosco School in Rosarno
March 5, 2026, ItalyUnknown perpetrators vandalised a Catholic school and the nearby parish church in Rosarno, Italy, stealing furnishings and parts of the church infrastructure. The attack targeted both a Catholic educational institution and a place of Christian worship. The incident reflects hostility toward Christian community spaces rather than a theft motivated by the value of the items taken.
UPDATE: Maltese court clears Matthew Grech of all charges
March 4, 2026, MaltaMatthew Grech, a Maltese Christian convert, has been cleared by a Maltese court following charges related to his participation in an online programme in April 2022. During the interview, Grech shared his personal testimony of leaving a homosexual lifestyle after finding the Christian faith. The case was brought under Malta’s ban on “conversion practices,” but the court concluded that the programme constituted a public discussion and that Grech had merely shared his personal experience about sexual morality.
Holy Altar Destroyed in Gardiki Church
February 27, 2026, GreeceVandals broke into the cemetery Church of All Saints in Gardiki, Fthiotida, Greece, and demolished the Holy Altar during the night of 26–27 February 2026. The destruction was reportedly carried out while the perpetrators searched for gold sovereigns believed to be hidden inside the altar.
Repeated Burglary Targets Sacred Objects in Quarrata Church
February 27, 2026, ItalyIn Quarrata, three ancient chalices and some sacred furnishings were stolen from the Church of Catena but later recovered. Similar incidents have occurred in nearby parishes, pointing to a rising pattern of local church thefts.
Arson Attacks on Three Churches in Eden in One Week
February 25, 2026, NetherlandsA series of deliberate fires damaged three churches in Ede within five days, leading to increased security and an arrest.
Repeated church thefts in Rouen target sacred Christian objects
February 24, 2026, FranceTwo men have been arrested for a series of four church burglaries in Rouen, during which sacred objects of spiritual importance were stolen. The thefts targeted items essential to Christian worship, including consecrated hosts and liturgical vessels, from the churches of Val-de-la-Haye and Hautot-sur-Seine. The crimes were deliberate, and the stolen objects have not yet been recovered.
Repeated Vandalism at Parish Oratory in Quattro Castella
February 23, 2026, ItalyA parish oratory in Quattro Castella (Reggio Emilia, Italy) was repeatedly targeted by break-ins and vandalism in the past months. In February, two suspects were identified by the Carabinieri using images captured by camera traps installed inside the parish premises.
Suspected Arson targets West London Church
February 23, 2026, United KingdomA major fire severely damaged the former King’s Hall Methodist Church in Southall, West London. Police and fire investigators are treating the blaze as suspected arson.
Vandals Damage Forecourt of Romanian Orthodox San Sepolcro Church
February 21, 2026, ItalyVandals have repeatedly caused damage to the forecourt and exterior of San Sepolcro Church on Via Campagna, where the Romanian Orthodox community has been worshipping since 2018. The incidents, reported in February 2026, have left visible damage to the church’s surroundings and structure.
Vandalism Targets Historic Santa Susana Church in Santiago
February 20, 2026, SpainGraffiti with political slogans and other markings were found on the seventeenth‑century church, prompting renewed concern about repeated attacks on Santiago’s Christian heritage.
Consecrated Hosts Stolen from Two Rural Churches
February 20, 2026, FranceTwo churches in Buchy and Rouvray‑Catillon were broken into during the night, with consecrated hosts taken in what the Archdiocese of Rouen denounced as a grave act of desecration.
Repeated Vandalism Inside Notre‑Dame Church in Niort
February 18, 2026, FranceAuthorities in Niort lodged formal complaints after graffiti and burnt papers were discovered inside the Notre‑Dame church during two consecutive days of damage.
Religious Statue Vandalised at Bois‑le‑Roi Cemetery
February 18, 2026, FrancePolice investigated extensive damage to Christian funerary structures at the Bois‑le‑Roi cemetery, including the destruction of a statue of Mary and chapel stained glass windows.
Church of Christ the King in Valledoria Desecrated
February 17, 2026, ItalyThe Church of Christ the King in Valledoria was targeted in an apparent act of desecration after unknown individuals forced open the tabernacle.
Cathedral Vandalised During Carnival Event
February 17, 2026, FranceThe Archdiocese of Montpellier lodged a complaint after participants in a street carnival vandalised the city’s cathedral while police observed without intervening.
Repeated Vandalism Targets St. Olof’s Church in Falköping
February 17, 2026, SwedenSt. Olof’s Church in Falköping, Sweden, was again targeted in an act of vandalism reported on 17 February 2026, marking the latest in a series of attacks against the historic church. According to local reporting, the church has been subjected to several incidents of damage over recent months.
Police Investigate Suspected Arson at Loiret Church
February 15, 2026, FranceA fire on the altar of Chécy’s parish church in Loiret, France, prompted a police inquiry into suspected arson.
Man Vandalised Catholic Church in Steinenbronn
February 15, 2026, GermanyPolice entered a locked Catholic church in Steinbronn and found a 32-year-old man playing the organ after allegedly leaving a trail of destruction behind him. The damage to the church is estimated at €10,000.
Traditional Catholic activist murdered during clashes in Lyon
February 14, 2026, FranceQuentin Deranque, a young Catholic activist and recent convert to the Catholic faith, died this weekend after sustaining serious head injuries during an attack by radical left activists in Lyon. He had been providing security at a right-wing political protest opposing an appearance by MEP Rima Hassan at Sciences Po University.
Attempted Arson at Historic Church Felizzano
February 14, 2026, ItalyUnknown individuals attempted to set fire to the main door of Felizzano’s 16th‑century Church of San Rocco, prompting a police investigation.
Arson at Historic Former Scottish Church
February 14, 2026, United KingdomA deliberately set fire tore through the former St John’s Church in Camelon, leading to road closures and an overnight firefighting operation.
Amtzell Cemetery Vandalised
February 14, 2026, GermanyUnknown individuals ignited a campfire using wooden grave crosses inside the open prayer hall at the Amtzell Cemetery, later leaving an "apology" written in ash on the wall.
Repeated Vandalism at Hastings Church
February 13, 2026, United KingdomPolice investigated repeated deliberate damage to lighting bollards in the grounds of St John the Evangelist Church in Hollington.
Convent in Navarre Suffers Repeated Disturbances
February 13, 2026, SpainUnknown individuals again caused night‑time damage at the Immaculate Conception convent in Navarre by kicking the entrance door and forcefully striking its windows with a construction cone.
Threatening Graffiti Written on St Joseph’s Catholic Church
February 11, 2026, Bosnia and HerzegovinaA vandal wrote a death threat against Croats on the exterior wall of St Joseph’s Church in Teslić, prompting condemnation from civic and Church authorities. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Croat identity is closely linked to Catholic affiliation, the message carried both ethnic and religious implications.
Man Smashes Religious Artefacts in Glasgow
February 10, 2026, United KingdomA man armed with tools entered St Alphonsus RC Church in Glasgow and smashed its gift shop, destroying religious artefacts and causing an estimated £1,500 in damage. A church spokesperson warned that this act of violence amounted to desecration and was more severe than previous incidents.
Minors Start Fires on Church Altar in Hof
February 9, 2026, GermanyPolice identified two minors who ignited objects inside, including an altar cloth, Marienkirche in Hof on two separate occasions.
Insulting Messages at Parish House
February 8, 2026, GermanyUnknown individuals defaced the community house of St John the Baptist Church in Nauort with coloured graffiti and insulting messages, leading police to seek witnesses.
Parish Priest Reports Reocurring Incidents Of Vandalism
February 5, 2026, GermanyIn the Allgäu region of southern Germany, parish priests have reported recurring incidents of vandalism, theft, and disruptive behaviour in churches, raising concerns about declining respect for places of worship. The reports point to a pattern of repeated disturbances rather than a single isolated incident.
Church in Poznan Vandalised with Threatening Graffiti
February 5, 2026, PolandUnknown individuals vandalised the exterior of a Roman Catholic church in the Stare Żegrze district of Poznań with threatening graffiti and satanic symbols, including the message “this church will burn.” The incident caused distress within the parish and was reported to the police.
Priest Stopped Arson Attack On Church
February 5, 2026, SwedenA priest prevented an attempted arson incident at a Catholic church in southern Stockholm after discovering the situation at an early stage. Surveillance footage showed an individual attempting to set fire to the church building.
Vandalism and Theft Target Parish Patronage in Mestre
February 5, 2026, ItalyThe patronage of the Church of Santa Maria di Lourdes in Venice has been repeatedly affected by vandalism, theft attempts and intrusions, prompting the parish priest to install protective fencing at the entrance. The incidents were reported in early February 2026 following a series of disturbances around the parish facilities.
Two Fires Set Inside Saint-Nicolas-de-Port Basilica
February 4, 2026, FranceTwo small fires were deliberately started inside the Basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port in Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, on 4 February 2026, prompting the evacuation of the historic Catholic church. The fires were quickly extinguished by a volunteer and firefighters.
Arsonist Caught At St. Peter Basilica
February 3, 2026, ItalyOn 2 February, a 35-year-old man was arrested in Vatican City after attempting to enter St Peter’s Basilica while carrying flammable substances and ignition devices at the start of the Pope's mass. According to police and prosecutors, the suspect is believed to be an arsonist linked to earlier fires at churches in central Rome.
Christian Pro-Life March Attacked in Koblenz: Two Hospitalised
February 2, 2026, GermanyIn Koblenz, activists associated with left-wing extremist groups attacked a public information event organised by the Christian pro-life initiative SOS Leben, resulting in injuries to two volunteers who later required hospital treatment.
Arson At Clères Church: Altar Cloth Set on Fire
January 29, 2026, FranceAn attempted arson attack was reported at the parish church in Clères, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, authorities confirmed. The incident marks the third attack on a church in the region within only 15 days.
Altar Among Targets: Two Fires Are Set Inside Huttenheim Church
January 28, 2026, GermanyOn Wednesday afternoon, 28 January, two deliberately set fires were discovered inside St Peter’s Church in Huttenheim, a district of Philippsburg, including one fire lit directly on the altar. Thankfully, the fires were extinguished before causing major damage.
Church Vandalised With Blasphemous Graffiti
January 28, 2026, PortugalA historic church in Viseu was targeted by vandals who painted an offensive message on the exterior wall of its mortuary chapel.
Bergisch Gladbach Church Closed After Arson and Vandalism
January 27, 2026, GermanySt Laurentius Church in Bergisch Gladbach was closed following repeated acts of vandalism, including arson, damage to pews, and theft of items from the interior.
Third Attack Hits Feldkirchen Church
January 26, 2026, AustriaVandals left a trail of destruction in the Maria im Dorn church in Feldkirchen, Austria, where the interior was found heavily damaged, leading to its temporary closure.
San Giacomo Church Evacuated After Nativity Scene Set on Fire
January 25, 2026, ItalyA fire that broke out on 25 January 2026 inside San Giacomo in via del Corso in Rome, initially believed to have been caused by a technical malfunction, has since been linked to deliberate arson. Investigators now attribute the fire to a suspect later arrested for attempting to carry flammable materials into St Peter’s Basilica.
Arson At Basilica of San Lorenzo
January 25, 2026, ItalyA fire that broke out on 25 January 2026 in the courtyard of Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina in Rome, initially investigated as a separate incident, has since been linked to deliberate arson.
Man Attacks Woman and Sets Fire to Church in Brasov
January 25, 2026, RomaniaA 29‑year‑old man attacked a woman selling candles and set fire to a church in Braşov, Romania, in an incident reported late January.
Sviatohirsk Lavra Skete Targeted in Theft and Vandalism
January 25, 2026, UkraineIn Donetsk region, Ukraine, a skete of the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra was targeted in a theft and act of vandalism during the night of 24–25 January 2026, resulting in the theft of bells and sacred objects from the religious site.
Main Altar Cross Stolen at Saint‑Winoc Church
January 25, 2026, FranceA theft at the Église Saint-Winoc in Plouhinec, Finistère, was reported on 25 January when the cross from the church’s main altar was removed by unknown perpetrators, parish authorities confirmed.
Roadside Shrine Targeted In Theft
January 24, 2026, PolandA statue of the Virgin Mary disappeared from a small roadside shrine in the Bródno district of Warsaw, Polish media reported. The figure was taken from a chapel located on Syrokomli Street, where it had been kept behind glass.