All cases
List of Churches Removed from Granada's Website
April 10, 2018, SpainOn April 10th, the municipal government removed the list of churches and parishes that appeared on the City of Granada's on-line resource guide after an IU (United Left) councilman demanded their removal five days earlier. The twenty churches, all Catholic, appeared in a section with the title "Places of Worship." The deputy mayor responsible for communication announced that since the churches do not offer any municipal, public or administrative services, the entire "Places of Worship" section was deleted.
Unknown Perpetrators Vandalized Church in Straubing
April 10, 2018, GermanyThe church of St. Stephan, in the Alburg district of Straubing, suffered various acts of vandalism on April 10th. They threw a figure of a saint from the altar, ripped out a microphone, threw a candle to the ground, spilled holy water, and destroyed an umbrella. They also smoked in the confessional, filling the interior with ashes and extinguishing the butts against the wooden door. The damage to the property was estimated at 3,000 euros.
BBC Scotland Posts Video Mocking Catholics
April 9, 2018, United KingdomThe Bishop of Paisley criticized BBC Scotland for encouraging anti-Catholic prejudice. It posted a short film entitled ‘Homophobia in 2018, Time for Love’ on its Facebook page which depicts a priest holding a Mini Cheddar in a parody of the Host, and giving it to a woman who makes the sign of the cross, with a voice-over saying, “tastes like cardboard and smells like hate.” Bishop Keenan described the content as “beyond the pale, and unworthy of the BBC as a public service broadcaster.” The Archdiocese of St. Andrew's and Edinburgh also criticized the video for suggesting that Christianity fosters public hatred toward homosexuals. It was also said that "recent government figures on crimes with religious aggravations showed that 57% of these are now directed to Catholics, an increase of 14%.
15th Century Tomb of Fra Angelico Attacked in the Center of Rome
April 8, 2018, ItalyThe marble tomb of the Italian Renaissance painter Fra Angelico was vandalized in the church of S. Maria sopra Minerva in the center of Rome, one of the most famous churches of the Italian capital. Vandals chipped off several parts of the marble tomb, carved by the fifteenth-century sculptor Isaia da Pisa.
Woman Stabbed Outside Coventry Church after Service
April 8, 2018, United KingdomA woman in her 30s was stabbed after attending the Eritrean community's Orthodox Easter midnight service at St. Margaret's Church in Coventry early on the morning of April 8th. The mother of three was found with a puncture wound in the abdomen at approximately 3:15 in the morning and taken to the hospital where she was listed in critical condition. The attacker, who reportedly fled on a bicycle, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder the following day.
Intentional Fires in Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais Church in Langon
April 8, 2018, FranceA passerby saw flames coming from the church and rushed in to extinguish the fire. Firefighters arrived quickly and were able to prevent the fire from causing extensive damage. Fires had been set in two different places: one at the candlesticks where the alter of the Virgin is situated, and the other at the entrance where leaflets and informational flyers are displayed.
Oil Poured Down Church Steps
April 7, 2018, ItalyOn April 7th unidentified vandals poured frying oil down the grand stone steps in front of the church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Modica.
Saint-Michel Church in Holque Vandalized
April 7, 2018, FranceSaint-Michel Church in Holque, a small French commune in northern France was vandalized.
Poulseur: Statue of Christ Shattered
April 7, 2018, BelgiumOn the morning of April 7th, the sacristan of the church in Poulseur discovered it had been vandalized. A statue of a crucified Jesus Christ had been taken down from a hook and shattered into pieces. The extensive damage to the statue suggested that the perpetrators climbed onto the choir screen and threw it down to the ground from above. Other vessels with flowers were also knocked down and broken. The damage was reported to the police.
Catholic College Vandalized in Vendée
April 6, 2018, FranceA day before about fifty students from Notre-Dame de l'Esperance College were to leave for a trip to England, they found their trip cancelled. All of the students' identity papers, which had been stored in a locker at school, were discovered cut in half and thrown into a garbage bin.The director of Notre-Dame de l'Esperance College sent a letter to the parents explaining that the trip was canceled and turned to the British Embassy for assistance. Police began an investigation.
Vandalism and Theft at Warmifontaine Church
April 6, 2018, BelgiumUnidentified perpetrators looted the church of Saint-Martin in Warmifontaine, breaking open the tabernacle with a crowbar, and stealing ciboriums containing consecrated Hosts, chalices, and hand-carved statues.
German Public Broadcaster Replaces Jesus Christ with Easter Bunny
April 6, 2018, GermanyA German satire TV recreated the Passion of Jesus Christ with a crucified Easter plush bunny in lieu of Jesus. Photomontages included the toy animal, among other things, on the cross and sitting among the Apostles for the Last Supper. The Christian Media Association KEP immediately filed a complaint to the broadcaster saying that it made "the central religious content of Christianity literally a joke."
Relic Stolen from Saint-Étienne de Toul
April 5, 2018, FranceOn April 5th, a student who works as a summer guide of the Toul Cathedral, Saint-Étienne, discovered that pieces of the relic belonging to the first bishop of Toul, St. Gerard, was missing. The relic is about twenty centimeters long and was pulled out from its holster.
Host Desecration in Spain: the Case before the ECHR
April 5, 2018, SpainThe Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers – Asociación de Abogados Cristianos – lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with the help of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), following the host desecration by the “artist” Abel Azcona.
Fires Set at Three German Churches in Ostholstein District
April 4, 2018, GermanyFrom April 1st to April 4th, fires were set in front of the wooden entrance doors of three churches in Heiligenhafen by unknown perpetrators.
Church in Vicht Ransacked; Fire Extinguisher Emptied
April 4, 2018, GermanyVandals devastated the interior of the parish church of St. John the Baptist in the village of Vicht (Stolberg District) on April 4th.
Sacred Heart Painting in Chiesa Nuova Stolen
April 4, 2018, ItalyA painting was discovered stolen out of its frame on April 4th in Santa Maria Church. The painting was 19th century copy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, signed by Pietro Gagliardi. Although the painting was not of significant value, the theft served as a reminder to the parish to increase security.
Deliberate Act of Desecration
April 2, 2018, FranceOn Easter Monday, the church of Domois in Fénay was desecrated and ransacked. Intruders shattered doors, broke objects, scattered candles, flowers, tablecloths, and religious symbols, church furniture and other items were destroyed. Tabernacles were opened and consecrated hosts were trampled and scattered all over.
Man Arrested for Graffiti on Churches, Gravestones, and Peace Pagoda
April 2, 2018, United KingdomAfter graffiti appeared across Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire from February 21st and April 2nd, police arrested a 34-year-old man in connection with the incidents. Graffiti painted in red included messages such as "Allah reigns" on a church, "kill all white scum" on the famous Willen Peace Pagoda, and "evil white failures" and "rape and replace" on a memorial in a graveyard.
Lighting Stolen from the Cross of the Holy Spirit
April 1, 2018, FranceOn April 1st, Easter Sunday, inhabitants of La Treille discovered that the solar panels, battery, and 70 LED lights which illuminated the La Croix Saint Esprit had been stolen. Unknown thieves had to climb 400 meters of rocky terrain to reach the cross. Losses amounted to 1,400 euros. The cross was installed less than a year before and was described as a reassuring "night light" for the 800 inhabitants of the valley. A complaint was filed.
Brittany: Tomb of Abbot Perrot Tagged
March 31, 2018, FranceThe tomb of Abbot Jean-Marie Perrot, founder of the Breton Catholic movement Bleun-Brug who was murdered by communists in 1943, was toppled and then sprayed with "anti-fascist" graffiti. The incidents coincided with the annual Easter Monday commemoration of the Abbot's death.
Eggs Thrown at Priest's House after Homily
March 31, 2018, SpainEggs were thrown at the door of a priest's home on Holy Saturday, March 31st, a day after he was criticized by LGBTI groups for a homily in which he questioned whether 'gender ideology' was a biased view of the nature of men and women, and whether it had a scientific basis.
Court Ruled 2015 Desecration of Cemetery was "Anti-Christian" Attack
March 29, 2018, FranceOn March 29th, the Court of Appeals in Toulouse ruled that Mohamed B., who desecrated and vandalized 215 graves, knocked down and broke crosses and other Christian symbols in a cemetery in Castres in 2015, was civilly liable for the religiously-motivated act. He had been found not criminally responsible due to mental illness, but on appeal, the court found him personally liable for compensation to AGRIF (Alliance générale contre le racisme et pour le respect de l'identité française et chrétienne).
No Prison for Men Who Entered Convent Demanding Nuns Convert to Islam
March 28, 2018, FranceThe two men who entered a Carmelite convent in November 2017 and demanded the nuns to convert to Islam or they would go to hell were released by a Verdun court on March 28th. The court, citing "diminished mental responsibility at the time of the incident" because the intruders had been suffering from "psychiatric disorders," freed the men after a trial.
Great Yarmouth Church Desecrated Days Before Easter
March 27, 2018, United KingdomA man walked into St Mary’s Catholic Church, set a couple of small fires and attempted to burn the icon taken off the church’s altar. The perpetrator left a Satanic image in the icon's place. The act was recorded by CCTV cameras and police arrested a suspect days later.
Small Fire in Church in Bavaria
March 27, 2018, GermanyAn unknown person lit a glove filled with matches on a bench in the small church of St. Moritz in the tiny municipality of Mantel. Due to the glove's plastic material, the fire spread to a bench cushion and caused damage to the bench.
Notre-Dame-du-Bourg in Digne-les-Bains Tagged
March 26, 2018, FranceA man was arrested on March 28th for painting satanic symbols ("666") on the cathedral, as well as tags on other buildings in the town between March 26th and 27th.
Man Shouted “Allahu Akbar" in the Cathedral of Cambrai
March 25, 2018, FranceShortly before the Palm Sunday Mass in the cathedral Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, a unidentified man shouted “Allahu Akbar” into the microphone. When approached by a parishioner, he ran away. Notably, the incident happened two days after an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in southern France.
Parents Halt School Procession during Holy Week
March 23, 2018, SpainThe parents of a two-year old student objected to the school participating in the Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows) procession. The Escuela Infantil Sagrada Familia organized the procession from the school to the neighborhood parish on March 23rd as part of the traditional celebrations of the Holy Week. The school council approved the voluntary event, but the Andalusian educational authority cancelled it after the parents complained.
Desecration and Robbery in Bremen Convent; Police Seek Witnesses
March 22, 2018, GermanyAn unidentified man forced open the tabernacle in the chapel of the convent of Bridgettines in Bremen to take the consecrated Hosts with the liturgical objects that were inside, as well as the relics of the founder of the Order, St. Bridget of Sweden.
Sinn Féin Politician Suspended for Voting against Abortion Referendum
March 21, 2018, IrelandMember of the Irish Parliament, Carol Nolan TD was suspended from the left-wing Irish political party Sinn Féin for a period of three months after voting against a bill which would allow a Irish referendum on the Eighth Amendment which effectively bans abortion. Nolan said, "I voted according to my conscience and did not vote in favour of the legislation put before me as it was greatly at odds with my strong pro-life values."
Provocative Play Advertised in Front of Catholic Schools
March 21, 2018, SpainThe City Council of Madrid placed an advertising poster for a publicly-funded theatrical performance entitled "The place where the whores pray" (El lugar donde rezan las putas) directly in front of two Catholic schools. The play, performed at the public Teatro Español, was described by promoters as exploring "theater in times of rage."
Canada Summer Jobs Funding Program Becomes Religious Freedom and Conscience Rights Controversy
March 20, 2018, CanadaThe Canada Summer Jobs program funding application for 2018 requires that applicants sign a statement supporting, among other things, abortion and transgender rights in order to be eligible for funding. Hundreds of applicants, including Christian charities, pro-life groups, and churches have refused to sign the attestation because of the government's positions on moral issues.
Madonna dell'Arco di San Callisto in Trastevere Vandalized
March 19, 2018, ItalyThe 13th century fresco of the Madonna dell'Arco di San Callisto in Trastevere was tagged with a graffiti artist's signature on March 18th. Locals were outraged to discover a white signature across the beloved image. A suspect was arrested in early April.
Catholic Historian's Facebook Account Suspended Due to Post about Islam
March 19, 2018, GermanyFacebook suspended the account of Catholic historian Michael Hesemann for 30 days after he published a post commenting on the negative influence of Islam in the history of Europe and, specifically, in Germany.
Leftist Party Opposed to any Easter Activities at Schools
March 19, 2018, SpainThe political party Equo Andalucía demanded that the Junta de Andalucía (Regional Government of Andalusia) exercise extreme vigilance to prevent public schools from organizing and celebrating Easter processions for children during Holy Week. Party leaders reminded the government that they had registered complaints about children's processions the previous year.
Demonstration Against Immigration Law in the Basilica of Saint-Denis
March 18, 2018, FranceFar-left activists and undocumented migrants demonstrated inside the Basilica of Saint-Denis on March 18th to protest the French government’s new asylum law before being forcibly removed by police, resulting in the evening Mass being cancelled.
Woman Fined for Projecting Cross on Church Facade
March 18, 2018, SpainA woman in the community of Callosa de Segura was sanctioned 100 euros per day for projecting the image of a cross on the wall of the church of San Martin.
Acts of Vandalism in a Cemetery in Ardèche
March 17, 2018, FranceOn March 17th, locals discovered that 18 graves in the Saint-Romain-d'Ay cemetery had been vandalized, with crosses broken. Complaints were filed and the police began an investigation.
Spanish Actor Refuses to Appear in Court to Answer Religious Charge
March 17, 2018, SpainSpanish actor and activist Willy Toledo announced that he does not intend to appear before a judge to respond to a complaint made by the Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers for having committed an offense "against religious sentiments." Toledo was investigated after he posted a rant in July 2017 against God, the Virgin Mary, and his criticism of a trial against three women who had been charged for their part in a 2014 anti-Christian procession in which the image of the Virgin Mary was replaced by a giant vagina ("el coño insumiso").
Blood Poured in front of Martinique Church
March 15, 2018, FranceA witness discovered blood poured on the stairs and door of the Eglise de Bellevue in Fort-de-France on the morning of March 15th.
Police Discovered Hundreds of Works of Art Stolen from Churches
March 15, 2018, FranceOn March 15th, investigators found 100 works of art, from paintings and statues to ciboriums and candlesticks, with a value estimated at 100,000 euros in an apartment in Pas-de-Calais. Following September robbery complaints from two churches in Likques and Sainghin-en-Weppes, a coordinated investigation resulted in the arrest of three art students, two men and a woman, who admitted having stolen the works art from various churches in Hauts-de-France, as well as in Belgium, over a two-year period.
Swedish Social Democrats Seek to Ban all Religious Schools
March 13, 2018, SwedenThe governing party announced the proposal on March 13, 2018, citing concerns about "systematic gender segregation and opinions that do not belong in Swedish schools." Although no examples of problems in Christian schools were cited, they would be included in the plan. Jewish schools would be exempted.
"Allahu Akbar" Shouted in a Crowded Evangelical Church
March 11, 2018, FranceA man burst into the crowded Evangelical Church of Wittenheim in Alsace during the Sunday service and shouted “Allahu Akbar” while mimicking the use of a weapon, frightening the congregation. The man, known to authorities for psychiatric disorders, was detained and sent to a psychiatric hospital.
Christians Assaulted for Protesting Sexually Explicit Ads in the Netherlands
March 11, 2018, NetherlandsCatholic protesters holding a prayer rally were physically harassed, spat on, and assaulted by LGBT activists on March 11th while denouncing retailer Suitsupply's advertising campaign featuring men "groping and kissing" each other.
Fire in Ravensburg Church; Damage Around Two Million Euros
March 10, 2018, GermanyOn March 10th police and firefighters responded to a massive fire in the 14th-century St. Jodok Church. Firefighters were able to save valuable pieces of art, but the organ was completely destroyed. Initial damage estimates were at least 2 million euros, as the church had been completely renovated in 2010. In addition to that, a fire was also set in St. Martin's church in Schlier, only a few kilometers from Ravensburg. Police received an anonymous message after the incident reading, “More churches will burn.” The arsonist was arrested on March 21st and convicted in September 2018, receiving a seven-year prison sentence.
Fire in a Church in Ravensburg
March 10, 2018, GermanyA small fire in a church was reported in Ravensburg on the same day as a devastating fire in the St. Jodok Church.
Four Crosses Shattered around 16th Century Church
March 10, 2018, SpainFour of the twelve 45 cm stone crosses atop the wall surrounding the Cantabrian church of San Jorge de Penagos, were destroyed during the night of March 10th. The bulletin board of the parish was torn and a window of the sacristy was broken. The sign pointing to the parish house, 2km away from the church, was also damaged.
Decapitated Statue of the Madonna in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano
March 10, 2018, ItalyIn the morning of March 10th the statue of the Virgin Mary was found decapitated near the oratory of San Rocco at the church of Maria Madre della Chiesa in Sant'Angelo. The statue's head was discovered later, a hundred meters away.
At Least Five Madrid Churches Vandalized during International Women's Day Strike
March 8, 2018, SpainOn March 8th, International Women’s Day, the church of Espíritu Santo, the church of San Cristóbal, the Hermitage of San Isidro, the military church of San Andrés, and the church of San Jorge in La Coruña were all defaced with pro-abortion and anti-Catholic graffiti. The vandals identified themselves as feminists who were part of the "8M" women's strike, young communists, or anarchists. Locks on some of the churches were sealed with silicone to prevent the faithful from entering.