All cases
Traditional Patronal Festival Stripped of Original Christian Meaning
May 26, 2007, SpainRepresentatives of Esquerra Unida and ERPV at the Sueca City Hall, Valencia, decided to suppress the religious connotation of the traditional festival that honors the Virgin of Sales. The proposal seeks to strip it of any religious meaning disregarding its Catholic origins. The representatives decided to run the festival under a new dedication, the "Rice Festival".
Three Christians, Employees of a Christian Publishing, Tortured, Stabbed and Killed
April 18, 2007, TurkeyThree Christians tortured, stabbed, and killed in Turkey. Four of the five men detained, confessed having committed the crime for nationalist and religious reasons.
Bishop in Court for Criticing Homosexual Behaviour
April 15, 2007, BelgiumIn April 2007 André-Mutien Léonard, then the Roman Catholic bishop of Namur gave an interview in the weekly magazine Télé Moustique, where he was asked his opinion on homosexuality. In his answer he referred to Sigmund Freud and deduced that homosexuality was essentially psychological in nature. The court cleared the bishop - but the fact that he went through trial is of great concern.
Catholic Church Forced to Withdraw from Adoption
April 1, 2007, United KingdomNew gay rights law forces the Catholic Church to pull out of offering adoption services in the UK.
Church Attacked in Kosovo
March 30, 2007, KosovoIn Dean/Decane, Kosovo, the wall of one of the Serbian-Orthodox church’s most revered sites, a 14th-century monastery, was damaged by an anti-tank missile. On 4 May, the Kosovo police service said they had identified a suspect, but no arrest was made.
Community Metal Cross Broken and Dragged Away
March 30, 2007, Bosnia and HerzegovinaIn Prozor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, four people broke down a metal cross that belonged to the Catholic community from a nearby village, and dragged it a few hundred meters away. The four defendants signed a plea agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office in Mostar, admitting their guilt. Three defendants were sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with a probation period of one year, and one defendant got a sentence of three months’ imprisonment.
Regulations Barring Religious Schools from Teaching against Homosexuality
March 22, 2007, United KingdomRegulations Barring Religious Schools from Teaching Against Homosexuality Approved Sexual Orientation Regulations Pass House of Lords. Concerned Christians prayed outside of the Houses of Parliament.
Turkish-Origin Youth Gang Bullies Protestant Parish
March 21, 2007, GermanyA Turkish youth disturbed Protestant church services for weeks at a time by making noise in front of church windows in Oberstenfeld (Baden-Wurttemberg).
Catalog Containing Anti-Christian and Hurtful Images Funded by City
March 15, 2007, SpainThe City Hall of Leida issued with public funds a catalog in support of a cartoon exhibition showing the evolution of homosexuals groups over the time. The catalog contained pornographic drawings were mixed with Christians symbols; (an artwork of Nazario Luque Vera). The mayor of Leida, Xavier Sàez, was requested to apologize and to stop the further distribution of the catalog but denied any wrongdoing.
Orthodox Churches in Process of Rebuilding Vandalized and Robbed in Kosovo-Metohija
January 30, 2007, KosovoA roof surface of almost 50 square meters of lead roofing was stolen from the Serbian Orthodox Church consecrated to Our Lady in Prizren which is in process of rebuilding after the devastation of Albanian mass riots in 2004.
Religion Teacher Mobbed At Madrid High School
January 26, 2007, SpainFernando Perez Crespo, teacher of religion at Carlos III High School, filed a formal complaint for mobbing. For the last four years, the schedule for his class had not been respected by the school authorities, parents who had requested religious instruction discovered that their children had been enrolled in other courses instead of Perez Crespo's religion class. At times Mr. Perez Crespo was compelled to use the school bathrooms or the smoking room to for teaching.
Girl Banned From Wearing Cross at School
January 10, 2007, United KingdomA British schoolgirl has been barred from wearing a crucifix necklace in class, the Daily Mail reported.
Christian Prayers Replaced By Quiet Moment
January 1, 2007, United KingdomTotnes Town Council replaced Christian prayers at the start of its meeting with a moment of silence.
Overview of Anti-Christian Vandalism in 2006
December 31, 2006, FranceAcording to National Sources, 172 acts of vandalism against all religions have occured in France in 2006. A large number of those were perpetrated against Christian places of worship. Please find in the following an exemplary list of indicidents.
Repeated Attacks Against the Orthodox Church in Kosovo
December 31, 2006, KosovoChristian sites, ministres and believers have been targeted by various attacks in Kosovo during the year 2006. Here is a non-exhaustive list of these actions:
Scottish Registrars Blackmailed for Rejecting Same-Sex Unions
December 30, 2006, United KingdomThe Western Isles Council´s registrars have received hate mail and death threats because they refused, on moral grounds, to conduct civil partnership ceremonies. The registrars said that same sex unions would be conducted in fulfilment of the law, but no wedding-alike ceremony would be provided. Gay groups fired back indicating they would follow a human rights suit against the council to ensure gay couples on the Isles the same „rights“ as those elsewhere.
Madrid Restaurant Fined for Refusing to Host Gay Wedding Reception
December 29, 2006, SpainThe La Favorita restaurant in Madrid has been fined 12,000 € by the City Hall for refusing to serve a gay wedding party, according to the El Mundo newspaper. The council considers that the owners have committed a ‘serious infraction’ and is guilty of discrimination.
Christmas Mass Interrupted in Montpellier
December 25, 2006, FranceThe bishop of Montpellier, Mgr Thomazeau, was celebrating midnight Christmas Mass in his cathedral when he was interrupted by ten individuals who entered uttering insults, yelling, and manifesting in various ways their hostility to the Christian faith; some were naked to accentuate the provocation. The police had to intervene in order to drive them out. The mayor showed great indignation and the faithful were very shocked by such behavior.
Orthodox Priest Was Killed With His Family
December 2, 2006, RussiaThe priest Andrei Nikolaev, his wife and three children have died after their house was set on fire in the village Pryamukhino, Tver region. This was not the first time someone tried to disserve the family or the church. Several months before the accident, the priest informed police and asked for help and protection. He even addressed the media for help but nobody answered. The killer doused the house with gasoline and set on fire.
Church Targeted by Molotov Cocktails
November 4, 2006, TurkeyThe Odemis Love Protestant Church in Odemis, near Izmir, was attacked with Molotov cocktails. The church, where the pastor and his family lived, had been the target of stone-throwing and harassment in the months prior to the event.