All cases
Catholic Church Vandalized With Graffiti, Bible Desecrated
August 4, 2022, GermanyUnknown perpetrators vandalized the Catholic Church of the Good Hirte, using a marker pen to write words and sayings on the pillars and walls inside the church. They further desecrated a Bible, which was open for reading, and a fresco in a side niche. Pastor Gerd Möller said that "the fresco, in particular, will not be easy to restore". According to the Pastor, the attack took place during the morning on August 4 and the damage caused amounts to 10,000 euros. He further added that "the immaterial damage cannot be estimated. A church is a place of encounter with God and prayer. These places are of inestimable value for people who practice their religion". The parish filed a criminal complaint with the police who launched an investigation to find the perpetrators.
Church of San Giovanello and Surrounding Area Repeatedly Vandalized
August 3, 2022, ItalyIt was reported on the 3rd of August that the church of San Giovannello is being constantly vandalised and spray painted by unknown persons. According to the newspaper, they receive daily complaints and pictures of the church being daubed on every corner by vandals, including the surroundings. The newspaper suggests installing a video surveillance system.
Unknown Vandals Riot in Church and Set Praise Book on Fire
August 2, 2022, GermanyOn the 2nd of August afternoon, unknown perpetrator(s) vandalised a church in the Zähringerstraße. The individuals damaged flyers and a praise book with fire, they threw over altar candles and stands and damaged a holy figure. Also, an unknown number of candles were stolen. The police has taken over the investigation of the damage to property and asks for information from witnesses.
Polish Cemetery Desecrated in Piekary Śląskie
July 31, 2022, PolandOn the 31 of July, the cemetery in Piekary Slaskie was desecrated by unknown perpetrators. 42 gravestones have been destroyed, the tombstones and crosses were knocked over, and flowers and some crosses were set on fire, according to Łukasz Czepkowski, spokesman for the Baker police. The police are investigating and trying to identify the perpetrators
Theft of Relics and a Medieval Statue from a Church in the Manche
July 30, 2022, FranceRelics and a medieval statue probably dating from the 13th century were stolen from the church of Saint-Médard and Saint-Gildard in Crépon in the Manche region in July. On their website, the Friends of the Crépon church give details: "During the month of July 2022, the Crépon church was the target of several thefts perpetrated without breaking and entering and probably in broad daylight. The first targeted relics contained in four reliquaries displayed on secondary altars in the nave and the second a remarkable sculpture, discovered in 2019 during work carried out in the nave of the church, and which was kept in the sacristy, a room which is usually locked." Relics are sacred objects.
Anti-Christian Taggs Painted on 16th Century Church
July 26, 2022, ItalyIn Matera, unknown vandals defaced the 16th Century Church of the Immaculate Conception with anti-Christian phrases. The Pisticci administration announced: "This time it is an even more serious act because it has hit one of the symbolic assets of our historical-artistic heritage, certainly among the most beautiful and important in our country." The municipal administration reported the act to the authorities and asked citizens to help in identify the ones responsible. One of the inscriptions said "F*ck your God" or "Son of a *?"
Tourist Ransacks Basilica of Boulogne-sur-Mer
July 26, 2022, FranceOn the 26. July at night, a US-American tourist ransacked the Basilica of Boulogne-sur-Mer. In the pictures posted by the police on Twitter one can see benches were knocked down, statues broken on the ground, the altar was ransacked and other sacred objects were damaged. The man was arrested by the local police.
The statue of Our Lady of Beauraing set on fire
July 26, 2022, FranceThe statue of Our Lady of Beauraing in Kanfen, a commune in the Moselle region near the Luxembourg border and Dudelange, has been vandalised on 26. July - unknown persons have burnt it. The previous statue in the same oratory was stolen outright, and was made of bronze.
Profanation of a Roadside Shrine in Przemyśl
July 25, 2022, PolandDuring the night of July 25-26, a shrine with a statue of the Virgin Mary was profaned in the district of Przemyśl, in Poland.
Anti-Christian Symbols Graffitied on Walls of the Catholic Church of St. Bartholomäus
July 24, 2022, GermanyThe Church of St. Bartholomew in Zeiskam was damaged by unknown perpetrators on the 24. July with anti-Christian and obscene tags. One can see photos of the exterior façade defaced with red paint spray. Some of the symbols are an inverted cross, a star inside a circle (a witchery symbol) and a penis. The St. Bartholomew's Church Foundation has filed a complaint with the police.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Perpignan Desecrated and Profaned
July 23, 2022, FranceA "gang of young people" desecrated the church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Perpignan on 23 July, stealing the ciborium, throwing the consecrated hosts to the ground and attempting to set fire to a statue of the Virgin Mary. A "gang of young people" desecrated the church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Perpignan on 23 July, stealing the ciborium, throwing the consecrated hosts to the ground and attempting to set fire to a statue of the Virgin Mary. On the day of the crime, the church had remained open as usual, but now it is closed outside of services," says Marc Olivier, the parishioner who discovered the scene of desolation.
Crowns Stolen From Our Lady of Grace Painting
July 19, 2022, ItalyIn the Church of San Rocco in Santa Croce sull'Arno, the silver crowns that rested on the heads of the image of Our Lady of Grace and the Baby Jesus were stolen by unknown perpetrators. The incident took place on the 19. July and the police are investigating. The vandals also damaged the altar and stained the tablecloth with their footprints.
Group of Young Men Harassed and Humiliated Priest
July 17, 2022, SlovakiaBishop Halko in the city of Pohoda was attacked by a group of drunken young men, who broke bottles, banged on his cabin, and soaked him with water before other people who laughed at the scene. The incident took place during the night and was reported on 17.07.2022. The priest also recalls that the people shouted at him with insults and hung an LGBT Flag on his cottage. It seems that the group attacked the priest after he had expressed his opinion regarding the LGBT movement on TV.
Ukraine: Orthodox Priests Tortured By Russian Forces
July 16, 2022, UkraineDymytrij Rudyuk, the Lviv Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OKU), accused the Russian army and the Moscow Patriarch Cyril of being responsible for torturing Ukrainian Orthodox priests. In an interview, he claimed that "the majority of OKU priests had to flee the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Those who stayed are often tortured. Five Orthodox priests were shot and a priest-monk was cruelly tortured to death".
Serbian Orthodox Cemetery Desecrated in Mostar
July 10, 2022, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDuring the night of July 10, an Orthodox cemetery was desecrated in the Bosnian city of Mostar. Writings on the walls of the cemetery contained threats against Serbs, leading them to report fearing for their safety. This attack was reported to the police and to the Ministry of Internal Affairs by Archpriest Nebojša Radić.
Serbian Cemetery in Mostar Tagged with Hateful Graffiti
July 10, 2022, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDuring the night of 9-10 August, unknown perpetrators vandalised the walls of the Serbian cemetery in Vikhovitchi, Mostar, and wrote on them Ustasha symbols and threats in Croatian against Serbs.
Polish Graves in Belarus Profanated by Belarusian Authorities
July 5, 2022, BelarusThe headquarters of the Home Army Polish soldiers who died in 1944 was destroyed by Belarusian authorities. None of the 22 crosses that stood on the memorial remain standing. Nasz Dziennik, the government plenipotentiary for Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad, considered this vandalistic act a provocation to escalate the relations between Poland and Belarus, fearing that this might only be a "prelude to further disgusting acts of provocation". He added that the Belarusian regime means to distance itself from the family of European Christian States, but that the desecration of the graves and destruction of the memorial site will be received with equal indignation both by Poles in Belarus and by Belarusians.
Theft of Hosts and Sacred Object from Church in Baigts-de-Béarn
July 3, 2022, FranceThe parish of Baigts-de-Béarn reports the theft of hosts and a monstrance offered by the Empress Eugénie during the reign of Napoleon III (1851-1870) from the parish during a burglary on the night of 2 to 3 July. The door of the sacristy was broken open and "88 hosts in two boxes" were stolen, among other sacred objects. It is important to not that the Hosts are the most holy for Catholics because they embody the real presence of Christ. They are often stolen by Satanists to perform satanic rituals.
2,000 Euros of Property Damage in St. Pantaleon Church
June 29, 2022, GermanyOn the 29th of June, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., unknown people entered the church of St. Pantaleon in Walpertshofen and vandalized it. First, they damaged the entrance door of the church and inside tore a tile out of the wall. Then, they ripped out the pages from the hymn and prayer books and scattered them through the church. The vandals continued to damage the church by lighting candles and spreading the wax on the floor and on the pews, in addition to knocking over chairs and flowers. They fled the scene leaving significant property damage behind, which is estimated to amount to 2,000 euros. The case was reported to the police who started an investigation to find the perpetrators.
Ancient Christian Cemetery Desecrated, Human Remains Scattered
June 29, 2022, TurkeyOn June 29, an ancient Christian cemetery was found desecrated by local Christians. The graves were damaged, human remains were found scattered, and funerary objects were discovered tarnished across the cemetery complex. It is believed that the perpetrators acted with a bad intention, considering that June 29 is a day dedicated to "the liturgical memory of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, to whom the cemetery chapel was dedicated upon its construction in 1967". The fact that this location was targeted specifically at this time appears to be with the aim of maximizing the impact on local Christians. The vandalistic case was reported to the police and the local Christians hope that they find the vandals and bring them to justice.