All cases
Suspected Arson at Neunkirchen Church
January 2, 2026, GermanyOn the morning of 2 January 2026, a fire broke out at the Protestant Christuskirche in the centre of Neunkirchen, Saarland. Due to the significant amount of smoke caused by the fire, it took the fire brigade several hours to ventilate the building.
Jeanne d’Arc Statue Vandalised in Paris
January 2, 2026, FranceIn Paris on 2 January, the statue of Jeanne d’Arc on the Place Saint‑Augustin, located in front of the Église Saint‑Augustin, was vandalised in full daylight. An individual climbed the monument and forcibly removed the blade of the saint’s sword in the presence of passers‑by.
Holy Family Statuettes Stolen from Montoro Church
January 1, 2026, ItalyThe Holy Family statuettes were stolen from a Nativity scene at a church in Montoro.
Threatening and Abusive Phone Call to Church in Ankara
December 31, 2025, TurkeyIn December 2025, a church in Ankara received a phone call that escalated from inquiries about Christianity to threats and abusive language directed at the church and its official.
Nativity Scene Burned in Algarrobo Vandalism
December 31, 2025, SpainOn New Year’s Eve in Algarrobo, vandals targeted public festive displays, burning Christian‑themed Christmas decorations, including a nativity scene in Plaza de España.
Vienna Church Repeatedly Targeted by Graffiti Vandalism
December 30, 2025, AustriaSt. Johann Evangelist Church in Vienna was defaced with graffiti on December 30, 2025, including Arabic writing and an Antifa symbol. Police launched an investigation amid political condemnation and reports of repeated targeting of the site.
Nativity Scene Stolen from Brandara Parish Church
December 30, 2025, PortugalThe nativity scene at the Parish Church of Brandara, in Ponte de Lima, was stolen during the night from Monday into Tuesday.
Historic Statue of Our Lady Smashed Outside Church in Middlesbrough
December 30, 2025, United KingdomOn 30 December 2025, a statue of Our Lady outside a church in Middlesbrough was repeatedly pushed to the ground and smashed, causing extensive damage. The destruction of a long-standing Marian statue caused shock among parishioners and local residents.
Cuenca Church Vandalised After Restoration
December 30, 2025, SpainVandals targeted the recently restored Church of La Virgen de la Luz in Cuenca, Spain, defacing its walls with graffiti and damaging the historic site.
Theft of Jesus Figurine from Nativity Scene in Sopot
December 29, 2025, PolandPolice released surveillance footage after a figurine depicting Jesus was stolen from a public nativity scene in front of the Church of St George in Sopot on the night of 29 December.
Gunfire and Explosive Device Damaged Church Entrance
December 28, 2025, ItalyUnknown individuals fired gunshots and detonated an explosive device at the secondary entrance of the San Filippo Neri church in Palermo’s Zen neighborhood.
Consecrated Hosts Stolen from a Spanish Church
December 28, 2025, SpainThe tabernacle of a church in Valladolid was forced and consecrated Hosts were stolen. This was the second such incident in the diocese this year, and Archbishop Luis Argüello has announced a public act of reparation.
Graffiti vandalism defaced Santa Maria Maggiore Church in Trento.
December 27, 2025, ItalyUnknown perpetrators targeted the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Trento, covering its exterior walls with large black and blue spray‑painted graffiti. The action has been condemned as anti-Christian targeting of a symbolic religious site by local authorities.
Vandalism at church in Witten during Christmas period
December 27, 2025, GermanyA Catholic church in Witten was vandalised during the Christmas period, with a window damaged and security equipment destroyed.
Arson Damages Crypt of Lourdes Parish Church
December 26, 2025, FranceFirefighters in Lourdes contained a crypt fire at the Sacré‑Cœur parish church after smoke was seen escaping the building, with investigators reporting debris used as ignition material and clear signs of unauthorised entry.
Church of St. Johannes in Wallersdorf
December 26, 2025, GermanyAn unknown perpetrator forcibly damaged the main entrance door of St. John’s Church in Wallersdorf.
Arson Attempt Inside German Church on Christmas
December 25, 2025, GermanyUnknown individuals ignited torn pages from prayer books on the church gallery in St. Maria, Haßlach, causing scorch marks and wax damage to the pews below. Thankfully, the fire did not spread, but the church suffered property damage.
Statue of Baby Jesus Smashed on Christmas Eve
December 24, 2025, United KingdomOn Christmas Eve vandals smashed a statue of the Infant Jesus and relics in the Lady Chapel desecrated at St. Patrick’s Church in Edinburgh. There was blood left in multiple areas of the sanctuary, and the figure was thrown into a bin during a confrontation between two distressed visitors.
Firecrackers Thrown at Church Nativity Scene
December 24, 2025, ItalyA passing vehicle launched firecrackers at the San Carlo parish nativity in Sezze, damaging the Christian display minutes before midnight Mass.
Masked Intruder Disrupted Christmas Vespers in Cologne Cathedral
December 24, 2025, GermanyA masked man in a black cloak, gold mask, and plush ears disrupted the Christmas Vespers and approached the front of Cologne Cathedral before being escorted out by church security.
Parish Reports Repeated Vandalism in Local Churches
December 24, 2025, ItalyOn 24 December 2025, the parish priest of the church of the Sacro Cuore publicly reported repeated acts of vandalism, including repeated property damage and anti-Christian graffiti, affecting churches in Sant’Egidio.
Paint Attack On Christian Pregnancy Counseling Centre
December 24, 2025, GermanyThe KALEB Family Centre fell victim to politically charged graffiti and paint attacks on Christmas Eve.
Church of Sant Andrea Apostolo in Tombolo Closed Outside Worship After Vandalism
December 23, 2025, ItalyA church in Tombolo was vandalised during the Christmas period, causing structural damage that led to restricted access to the site.
Church Nativity Scene Targeted with Theft and Desecration
December 22, 2025, GermanyIn Kahla in the Saale-Holzland district, unknown individuals stole and damaged parts of a Christmas nativity scene displayed outside the Catholic church of St Nikolaus in December 2025.
Christ Child Figure Found Hanging by the Neck
December 21, 2025, PolandOn 21 December, a figure of the Christ Child was found hanging by the neck in a nativity scene in the market square of Bolesławiec. Surveillance footage showed hooded individuals entering the scene and tying the doll to a rope in the manner of a gallows.
Vienna Church Defaced with Arabic and Syrian Nationalist Graffiti
December 21, 2025, AustriaA church in Vienna was repeatedly defaced with Arabic slogans and Syrian nationalist clan codes in December 2025, prompting a police investigation.
Swastika and Cigarette Butts Found on Nativity Scenes in Lentate sul Seveso
December 20, 2025, ItalyChildren discovered cigarette butts placed on Nativity figurines and a swastika drawn on St. Joseph’s silhouette at parish and municipal displays in Lentate sul Seveso.
Court Hears Case of Glasgow Grandmother Arrested Again For Sign Offering Conversation
December 19, 2025, United Kingdom75-year-old grandmother and Christian prayer group leader Rose Docherty has been arrested a second time and criminally charged for holding a sign reading “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want” within 200 metres of an abortion facility in Glasgow.
Windows Smashed at 13th‑Century Church
December 19, 2025, GermanyUnknown perpetrators shattered six windowpanes at the historic St. Johann church, prompting a police investigation and public appeals for information.
Intentional Arson Destroys Wooden Altar of Saint Anne in Saletto Parish Church
December 19, 2025, ItalyOn 19 December, an intentionally set fire destroyed the wooden altar dedicated to Saint Anne inside the parish church of Saletto, in Vigodarzere.
Series of Thefts Target Outdoor Nativity Scenes in Solliès‑Ville
December 19, 2025, FranceMultiple Nativity displays in Solliès‑Ville were stolen or vandalised, prompting concerns among residents and volunteers who maintain the Christian installations.
Desecration at Les Sables‑d’Olonne Church: Reliquary Broken and Saint’s Skull Stolen
December 18, 2025, FranceA break‑in at Notre‑Dame‑de‑l’Assomption resulted in the theft of a revered relic, prompting condemnation from parish and city officials.
UPDATE: Woman criminally charged for silent prayer
December 17, 2025, United KingdomBritish charitable volunteer Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has been criminally charged in Birmingham under the UK’s new national abortion “buffer zone” law for silently praying near an abortion facility, with her trial scheduled for 29 January 2026. This is the first known prosecution under the Public Order Act 2023, highlighting tensions between public-order regulations and freedom of conscience.
Polish Student Linked to ISIS Arrested for Planning Attack on Christmas Market
December 16, 2025, PolandAuthorities detained a Polish university student accused of preparing an ISIS‑inspired explosive attack on a Christmas market.
Estonia’s Actions Threaten Religious Freedom, Warn UN Experts
December 15, 2025, EstoniaUN human rights experts have raised alarm over legislative and administrative measures in Estonia that target the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC). They warned that these actions—ranging from legal amendments to restrictive treatment of clergy—could disproportionately limit religious freedom.
Swastika Carved Into Evangelical Church Facade
December 14, 2025, GermanyPolice opened a criminal investigation after unknown perpetrators etched a Nazi symbol into the wall of a church in Lower Saxony.
Blood Found on Altar in Church Desecration
December 13, 2025, ItalyA desecration of the Church of the Angel in Camaiore involved blood traces on the altar, misuse of sacred objects, and prompted both police investigation and a call for reparation by the Archdiocese of Lucca.
Leicestershire Church Stained Glass Panels Smashed in Vandalism
December 13, 2025, United KingdomHistoric St Mary’s Church in Coleorton, Leicestershire suffered costly damage when unknown perpetrators smashed two of its stained glass panels in what police and clergy described as “mindless vandalism”.
Holy Water Font Desecrated with Urine
December 12, 2025, GermanyA holy water font at St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Burladingen was deliberately filled with urine in an act of targeted desecration shocking parishioners and clergy. The parish priest called the act "a slap in the face of a believer."
Five Suspects Arrested in Alleged Islamist Plot Against Bavarian Christmas Market
December 12, 2025, GermanyGerman authorities have detained five men in Bavaria accused of planning a radical Islamist–motivated vehicle attack on a Christmas market. Investigators say the plot was disrupted at an early stage through coordinated action by security services.
Dismissal of Teacher Sparks Debate on Religious Expression in UK Schools
December 9, 2025, United KingdomA UK primary school teacher was suspended in March 2024 and later dismissed after telling a Muslim student that “Britain is still a Christian state,” citing the King as head of the Church of England and describing Islam as a minority religion. The teacher, who had also allegedly suggested the student could attend a nearby Islamic school if they preferred a religious setting, faced both police and safeguarding investigations. Although he was initially banned from working with children, he successfully appealed the decision and is now pursuing legal action against.
Prayer Outside Abortion Clinic Protected by Law, Spanish Court Rules
December 9, 2025, SpainA criminal court in Vitoria, Basque Country, has acquitted 21 pro‑life volunteers accused of harassment for praying peacefully outside an abortion clinic, ruling that they had “done nothing more than exercise their free right of assembly” and behaved in an “exquisitely peaceful manner.” The court found no evidence of intimidating conduct under the penal code’s anti‑harassment provision.
European Commission excludes FAFCE and WYA from Funding
December 8, 2025, InternationalThe European Commission has excluded the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) and the World Youth Alliance (WYA) from EU funding after rejecting multiple project applications, citing alleged violations of equality measures and “EU values.” FAFCE’s president describes the decisions as ideological discrimination, arguing that they penalise organisations that support families, children and human dignity while holding pro-life convictions.
Anti-Christian Graffiti Targets the Basilica of Carmine in Florence
December 8, 2025, ItalyIn Florence, black spray-painted graffiti stating “The only church that enlightens is the one that burns” and featuring the anarchist circled “A” appeared on the construction coverings of the Carmine Basilica.
Suspected Arson at Bologna Church
December 8, 2025, ItalyAuthorities in Bologna investigated a fire at the Santuario in via del Borgo San Pietro, where flames engulfed the hedges surrounding the Catholic Church’s garden, prompting suspicions of arson.
Church Nativity Desecrated and Parishioners Threatened
December 8, 2025, SpainPolice detained a man after he disrupted a Catholic service by removing nativity figures, striking the altar, profaning liturgical garments, shouting in Arabic through the church microphone, and attempting to attack parishioners before being restrained outside.
France’s Catholic Schools Under Abusive State Scrutiny
December 8, 2025, FranceBased on a report, Catholic schools in France are facing state inspections criticised as abusive and humiliating. Teachers reported unannounced classroom visits, students being questioned about their faith, and pressure to remove Christian symbols, all of which undermine the schools’ Catholic identity. Catholic education authorities warn that these practices violate both educator dignity and parents’ right to provide religious education.
Baroque Church Statues Vandalised
December 7, 2025, GermanyStone sculptures at the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche and Hildesheimer Dom were damaged, with facial features deliberately broken.
Church Vandalised with Wax Swastikas
December 5, 2025, GermanyTwo wax-smeared swastikas were discovered on the interior wall of a Lutheran church in Seligenstadt.
Priest's Car Set on Fire Weeks after Church Vandalism
December 4, 2025, ItalyAn arson attack destroyed the parish priest’s vehicle in Francofonte, following earlier vandalism against the church grounds.