All cases

Sacred Objects stolen from Church in Guttaring

November 30, 2023, Austria

On the night of November 20, unknown perpetrators broke into the pilgrimage church in Guttaring. They stole gold crowns, gold and silver chains that were connected to a picture of Mary. Furthermore, the locked altar area was broken into and religious objects were stolen from the altar. The cost of the damage is unknown and the police are investigating the situation further.

UPDATE: ECHR Dismisses Case of Host Desecration in Spain

November 30, 2023, Spain

Back in 2018, the Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers 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 theft and host desecration by the “artist” Abel Azcona. Now, the ECHR has declared the application inadmissible.

ECJ rules Public Administrations can ban Religious Symbols at work

November 28, 2023, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

A judgment by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from November 28 ruled that a public administration's imposition of strict neutrality to establish a 'neutral administrative environment' by forbidding the use of visible religious symbols can be justified. The Court states that Member States have discretion in designing neutrality policies but must pursue these objectives consistently and reasonably. This concept of 'strict neutrality', which is seen as opposed to visible religious symbols, raises religious freedom concerns.

Statue of Infant Jesus Beheaded in St. Johann Church in Saarbrücken

November 27, 2023, Germany

On November 27, unknown perpetrators vandalized the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Saarbrücken. A statue of Infant Jesus has been beheaded and the statute of Mary, holding the infant, was also damaged. Later on, a 44-year-old woman was identified as the perpetrator.

Destruction of the shrine of Mary

November 27, 2023, Poland

On the night of 26 to 27 November 2023, unknown perpetrators vandalised the shrine of Mary in Postoliska, Poland. The vandals destroyed the entire body of the statue of Mary, leaving only the base.

Threats and Disturbance inside Vienna's Cathedral

November 26, 2023, Austria

On November 26, a 29-year-old man from Syria disrupted the Sunday Mass in Vienna's St. Stephan Cathedral. According to media reports, he repeatedly disturbed the liturgy, jumped over the fence around the main alter and screamed loudly. 

Church in Odenhausen vandalised

November 25, 2023, Germany

On November 25, vandals damaged the downspouts and power cables of the parish church of Odenhausen, Germany. They also tore out headlights so that power cables hung open.

Altar Cross and money stolen from Church in Jülich

November 25, 2023, Germany

Between November 25 and December 2, an altar cross and money from an offering box were stolen from the St. Martinus church in Jülich, Germany. The police started an investigation.

Statue of Mary Damaged and Cross Stolen from Church in Vienna

November 24, 2023, Austria

On November 23, Keplerkirche St. Johann in Vienna was vandalized. Witnesses had seen a man who had allegedly tore a statue of the Madonna from an anchorage in the church and stole a wooden cross. Based on the witness statements and video surveillance footage, the police were able to identify the perpetrator. The 29-year-old Syrian man was found near the church and arrested. He will be charged with aggravated damage to property and theft. The stolen cross was returned to the church. The same perpetrator attacked the Viennese St. Stephan cathedral a few days later (see case from November 26, 2023).

Sacred Objects Stolen from Church in Nürnberg

November 24, 2023, Germany

Sacred objects worth over 1800 euros have disappeared from the St Jakob's Protestant Church in Nürnberg. The theft was noticed in autumn by a group of visitors, who realised that the angel statues, which were normally holding religious symbols in their hands, were now standing there empty-handed. The religious symbols which have been stolen are a Christ monogram, a cross and symbols of scourge, crown of thorns, hammer and nails.