All cases
Crucifix vandalised in Stolberg-Zweifall
July 10, 2027, GermanyAs reported on 10 July, a wayside cross at the "Kartoffelbaum" site in Stolberg-Zweifall has been deliberately damaged, with parts of the wooden corpus having been cut off. As the vandalism targeted a religious monument in the area that serves as a place of prayer and remembrance for pilgrims, the incident has caused deep distress for the local community.
Dog faeces placed in front of a church altar
July 22, 2026, GermanyDog faeces were deliberately placed in front of the altar of St Giles Catholic Church in Wörth am Rhein after unknown perpetrators gained access to the church. In addition to causing minor damage inside the church, the act desecrated the sanctuary and caused distress to the parish.
Fire set outside church of Saint-Éloi prompts police investigation
July 20, 2026, FranceOn 20 July 2026, a fire was reported at the Saint-Éloi Protestant Church in Rouen after a mattress placed against the building was set alight. Passers-by extinguished the flames before firefighters arrived, preventing the fire from spreading to the historic church. Police have opened an investigation into the incident as a suspected arson attempt directed at the church.
Vandals set fire to liturgical book at a church in Kelheim
July 15, 2026, GermanyOn 15 July 2026, unknown perpetrators vandalised the Holy Cross Church in Kelheim by damaging the interior and setting a liturgical book on fire. The burned lectionary was rendered unusable, causing damage to an object used during Catholic worship. Reports indicate that this incident is part of a series of attacks against Christian places of worship seen in Germany in the past months.
Pilgrimage site in Poland vandalised with satanic symbols
July 14, 2026, PolandReported on 14 July 2026, several chapels forming part of the Stations of the Cross at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, one of the most important religious monuments in Poland, were vandalised with graffiti and symbols identified as Satanic. The attack has prompted condemnation from the affected local Catholic community.
Suspected Arson damages parish building at Munkshöjden Church
July 14, 2026, FinlandPolice are investigating a suspected arson attack at the parish building of Munkshöjden Church in Helsinki which occurred on 14 July 2026. Firefighters took hours to extinguish the extensive fire, preventing it from spreading to the church building itself, however the parish hall sustained extensive damage.
Eggs thrown at church destroy windows
July 14, 2026, GermanyBetween 10 and 14 July 2026, unknown perpetrators damaged two leaded-glass windows of a church in the main street of Neuenkirchen. According to reports, the perpetrators threw eggs at the church building, destroying six glass windows in the process.
Man arrested after a spate of vandalism forces Cornwall churches to close
July 13, 2026, United KingdomReported on 13 July, a man has been charged in connection with alleged vandalism at various churches in Mevagissey, including damage to St Peter's Church between 8 to 9 July that forced it to suspend its long-standing open-door policy. The incidents affected places of Christian worship and have restricted public access to more than one church in the area, impacting the local Christian community and pointing to a broader problem of offences committed in places of worship in the United Kingdom.
Attempted Intrusion and Arson at the Notre-Dame Church of Le Relecq-Kerhuon
July 10, 2026, FranceOn the night of 9 to 10 July 2026, the Notre-Dame Church in Relecq-Kerhuon was the target of a fire and attempted break-in throughout the night. The fire was extinguished before it could spread to the whole church building, but the incident nonetheless affected the Christian place of worship and is being investigated by the police.
Church banner destroyed in Hohenwarthe
July 8, 2026, GermanyAs reported on 8 July, a banner at a lutheran church of Möser in Hohenwarthe has been cut up and destroyed in an act of vandalism. According to reports, the church congregation suspects the vandalism was politically motivated and is horrified by the incident.
Desecration of Armenian cemetery in Istanbul
July 8, 2026, TurkeyOn the night of 7 to 8 July 2026, an individual entered the Surp Karabet Christian Cemetery in Istanbul by climbing over the perimeter wall. The perpetrator vandalised six graves and a memorial just days before the reconsecration of the Armenian Surp Karapet Church. The reports describe the Christian community as deeply wounded by the incident, and their concerns over the safety of Christian communities in Turkey have been heightened.
Attempted Arson damages chapel in southern Germany
July 7, 2026, GermanyIt was reported on 7 July 2026 that an unknown perpetrator deliberately set fire to seat cushions in a chapel in Wolfegg-Molpertshaus, Baden-Württemberg, causing approximately €1000 in damage. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the rest of the church building, and the incident is being investigated as an attempted arson.
Vandalism and Attempted Arson inside St. Marien Church in Freudenberg
June 29, 2026, GermanyOn 29 June 2026, unknown perpetrators set fire to a wooden bench inside St. Marien Church in Freudenberg and and vandalised the church entrance. Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
Attempted Arson at the Church of Saint-Jean de Castelsarrasin
June 29, 2026, FranceOn the evening of 29 June, there was an arson attempt targeting the church of Saint-Jean de Castelsarrasin. The fire was discovered by a volunteer in a trash can inside the building. Thankfully, no material damage was caused. Police opened an investigation into the incident.
Suspected Arson at Former Convent in Downpatrick
June 28, 2026, United KingdomOn Sunday, 28 June, the listed Convent of Mercy adjacent to St. Patrick's Church in Downpatrick is believed to have been deliberately set on fire and was completely destroyed. The loss of the convent has been difficult for the local community after the destruction of a historical landmark.
Parish priest faces aggression during break-in at his presbytery in Levie
June 27, 2026, FranceOn 27 June 2026, Fr Pierre Pio reported that three young men forced entry into the presbytery in Levie while he was present inside. The incident involved damage to the building and a direct confrontation with the priest, who described the event as an aggression. The case follows previous acts of vandalism affecting parish property and raised concerns about local safety of both clergy and the faithful.
Altar Cloth Burned Inside Val d'Oust Church
June 24, 2026, FranceIn early June 2026, unknown individuals entered a church in Le Roc-Saint-André, Val d'Oust, deliberately burning part of the altar cloth and several candles. The parish reported the incident to the authorities, and an investigation was opened.
Candles and Missal Set on Fire at Church in La Chapelle-Caro
June 24, 2026, FranceDuring the fourth week of June 2026, unknown perpetrators entered a church in La Chapelle-Caro, where they deliberately burned candles, broke others and set a missal on fire. The incident occurred only weeks after a similar act of vandalism at another church in the same municipality.
Young man arrested after destroying property in Friesoythe Church
June 22, 2026, GermanyIn what has been described as a destructive rage, a 25-year-old man damaged several objects in the St.-Marien-Kirche in Friesoythe the evening of June 22. He caused significant property damage, including damage to the church organ and religious art depicting the way of the cross.
Desecration of cemetery and Catholic church near Rouen
June 20, 2026, FranceIn the municipality east of Rouen, Saint-Léger du Bourg-Denis, the Catholic church and cemetery were found desecrated on Saturday, June 20. This event is not the first in the region of Rouen, and follows a series of thefts, vandalism, and desecrations of Catholic churches in the area.