All cases
110 Year Old Cross Stolen from St. Michael Church in Germany
December 11, 2022, GermanyUnknown perpetrators stole the cross from the church of St. Michael in Blumenfeld, as reported on 11. December. It seems that this happened soon after the Advent singing, leaving the dean and the mayor stunned with the theft. The cross, which is more than 110 years old, is estimated to be worth up to 12,000 euros. The police have started an investigation and are looking for witnesses and information.
Assault in an Evangelical Church in Caserta: Worshippers Robbed During the Service
December 11, 2022, ItalyAn armed robbery took place on 11. December night in an evangelical church in Orta di Atella, in the province of Caserta. The six robbers, according to the witnesses, entered the church during the Sunday service with covered faces and, at least two of them, armed with pistols, robbing some of the worshippers present. The whole incident lasted only a few minutes, after which the bandits fled in a car, with the Carabinieri only appearing at the scene later.
Right-Wing Slogans Tagged on Church in Germany
December 11, 2022, GermanyThe Door of St. Peter's Church in Versmold has been tagged with right-wing extremist slogans by unknown perpetrators. The graffiti shows inciting symbols and slogans, as it was reported on the 11. December. The police of Bielefeld are investigating and trying to identify the perpetrators.
Church Robbed and Vandalised in Portugal
December 10, 2022, PortugalThe bells of the Church of Santa Marta, in the parish of Benfica do Ribatejo, were stolen and the facilities of the scouts were robbed. The alert for the theft was given this Saturday morning, December 10, but the robbery would have occurred on Thursday or Friday. The bells were stolen from the Church Tower and the robbers caused even more damage. They entered the Scouts' premises and destroyed various Scout materials and even stole several tents.
Arson to Church in Calais
December 10, 2022, FranceOn 10. December, rooms, doors, and objects at the Notre Dame des Armées Church in Calais were burned during an arson attack. One of the parish members commented that they perceived a"strong burning smell" when they entered the building on that day. Unknown perpetrators had burned the door leading to the sacristy, the room where the priest prepares the celebrations and the floor tile. The police have opened an investigation, they are treating the case as an intensional fire caused by the perpetrator. Fortunately, no injuries were reported and the fire did not affect "valuable objects".
"God is Dead, We killed him" Tagged on St. Nikolaus Church and Primary School
December 9, 2022, GermanyBetween December 9 and the 13th, the buildings of the St. Nikolaus church and an elementary school were smeared with graffiti and anti-Christian slogans in Konz. One writing said, "God is dead, we killed him", while other symbols were tagged such as pentagrams and inverted crosses. The police have proof from the CCTV cameras of two unidentified perpetrators who entered the elementary school grounds and graffitied the walls. However, the persons are yet to be identified.
Insults Tagged on Catholic Monument in Valladolid
December 9, 2022, SpainOn the night of the 9. December, unknown perpetrators spray-painted insults on the Monument to the Brotherhood of Valladolid in the city of Valladolid. The vandals painted the word "paedophile" on the statue of the brother and "little slut" on the statue of the girl. The monument represents the tradition of the Valladolid Holy Week. The incident has been reported by the police and the cleaning service has been notified. The police is looking for witnesses to identify the perpetrators.
Man Arrested After Physically Attacking Priest
December 8, 2022, SpainA 60-year-old man has been arrested by the police in Medina Sidonia for allegedly assaulting a priest in the church of San Juan de Dios on Thursday 8th of December. According to witnesses, the man attacked the priest with several punches before a funeral was going to take place. He caused him a series of injuries for which the priest had to be treated later at a hospital. The incident occurred at around 16.30 hours. The priest, Fr. Stuart James Chipolina was preparing to officiate at a funeral in the church when, after an argument with the local, the latter punched the priest several times.
Pro-terrorist Graffiti at Church's Door in Sevilla
December 6, 2022, SpainA tag with the words "Gora ET(A)" appeared at the door of San Marcos' parish in Sevilla on December 6. The meaning of the painted slogan in Basque language is "long live ETA", in reference to the Basque separatist organization ETA, classified as a terrorist group by Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the European Union.
Church of Santa Maria dei Centurelli in Caporciano Vandalised
December 6, 2022, ItalySigns and writing appeared on the façade of the Church of Santa Maria dei Centurelli, in the municipality of Caporciano. The report was made by the Celestinian Movement, which posted photos showing the vandalism. A graffiti on the wall of the church seems to say "thieves", and the information sign outside the church was also defaced with graffiti. The perpetrators remain unknown. The photos were shared on social media by Massimo Alesii and caused indignation. "A serious, very serious fact happened in Centurelli. The appeal is to the local communities... to raise their eyes to the mountains,' wrote Massimo Alesii.
Church in Campania desecrated with excrement in the holy water fonts
December 4, 2022, ItalyUrine and excrement were found in the two stoups at the entrance to the Church of Sant'Adiutore in Cervinara. This was revealed during Mass on December 4 by the parish priest of Cervinara, Don Renato Trapani. All the churches in Cervinara are also open at night so that those who want to gather in prayer freely at all hours can do so without restrictions. The priest showed his sorrow, inviting those in the know to come forward to shed light on this episode.
Vandalic Attack to the Oldest Church in Madrid
December 3, 2022, SpainOn the night of December 2 to 3, unknown persons defaced the walls of the hermitage of Santa María La Antigua of Carabanchel with graffiti, one of the tags containing the Anarchist Ⓐ and an upside-down cross. This 13th-century Mudéjar temple is the oldest building constructed in Madrid.
Altar cloths set on fire in Bauler church
December 3, 2022, GermanyIn the period from December 2 to December 3, 2022, the altar cloths were burnt in the parish church in Bauler, according to the Bitburg police department. The perpetrator or perpetrators, who are as to date unknown, lit all the sacrificial candles and then also the altar cloths, some of which burnt down, causing material damage, according to the police.
Raising concerns over Zelensky's green light to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church activities
December 1, 2022, UkraineOn 1. December Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had signed a decision by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC). The decision instructed the government to submit a bill "on the impossibility of religious organizations affiliated with the centres of influence in the Russian Federation to operate in Ukraine" to the Verkhovna Rada. Although this is a political decision conveyed during a war period, the way it is put into practice could gravely affect religious freedom in the country.
Religious Objects and Valuables Stolen from Church in Treviso
December 1, 2022, ItalyIn late November or early December, the Church of 'Santa Maria della Pieve', in Via Borgo Pieve in Castelfranco Veneto, was targeted. Two glass and brass candle holders, various liturgical booklets and votive candles were stolen, while a copper cover and a holy water stoup were partially damaged in an attempt to steal them. Two persons, also linked to other church thefts in the area of Treviso, have been arrested.
Church in Vienna Tagged With Anti-Christian slogan
November 30, 2022, Austria"No God, No State, No Patriarchy" was sprayed on the walls of the Breitenfeld Church in Vienna in a vandalic attack that took place in late November. An eyewitness sent the picture to OIDAC Europe.
Good News: Russian Court Overturns Decision to Mobilise Christian Conscientious Objector to War
November 30, 2022, RussiaAfter the Russian mobilisation for the war in Ukraine was announced in September 2022, Pavel Mushumansky, a young Evangelical Christian, was called to a military unit. He appealed to the court, as he is a conscientious objector to take up arms. The court concluded, that as he had previously completed an alternative civilian service, he could no longer be sent to the active army during mobilisation. The Gatchina City Court of the Leningrad Oblast therefore declared illegal the decision to conscript Pavel Mushumansky.
Pew Research Study: Christians faced harassment in more countries than any other religion worldwide
November 29, 2022, InternationalIn November 2022, the Pew Research Center published a new worldwide study on harassment and restrictions against religious groups in 2020. According to the findings, government authorities harassed religious groups in 178 countries in 2020 and social groups or individuals harassed religious groups in 164 countries. Both numbers show a slight decline in comparison to 2019. Christians and Muslims, the largest religions in the world, faced harassment in more countries than any other religious group, same as in previous years. The study documented that Christians were harassed in 155 countries, (2019: 153). Muslims were harassed in 145 countries (2019: 147) and Jews faced harassment in 94 countries (2019: 89).
Chaplain receives Apology after being pressured to remove his half-inch cross
November 28, 2022, United KingdomDerek Timms, a chaplain from Solihull, was told in September at the Marie Curie charity’s Solihull branch, that he must not wear the cross as it might "offend’ and "create barriers" with patients. He was also told that he would face consequences if he did not remove the cross, which was a symbol of his faith but also a memory of his late wife. After receiving legal support, Mr Timms received an "unreserved" apology letter from the Marie Curie charity's regional head office.
400kg Bells Stolen from Church in Gelsenkirchen
November 27, 2022, GermanyBetween 22 and 27 November, unknown assailants have stolen a 400-kilogram bell from a church in Gelsenkirchen-Scholven. The bell has a diameter of about 75 centimetres and a height of 1.15 metres, according to the police. The bell itself was not in the tower of St. Joseph's Church at the time of the theft. It was was placed in the interior.
Profanation of the Stations of the Cross at the Calvary in Jerzmanowice
November 26, 2022, PolandAn act of desecration happened in Jerzmanowice on 26 November. Someone turned the cross on the local Calvary upside down and hung an animal skull on it. This is the second time this year that an unknown perpetrator has destroyed, devastated and profaned this Way of the Cross.
Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests expelled from Russian-occupied Melitopol
November 25, 2022, UkraineFr Petro Krenitsky, parish priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Assumption of Saint Anna Church in Melitopol, was detained by Rusian forces on 25 November and then released on the same day. He was later forced to leave to Ukrainian-held territory. A few days later, the remaining Greek-Catholic priest in the city, Fr Oleksandr Bogomaz, was also expelled. There are no Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priests remaining in Melitopol.
“Community Safety Officers” approach woman praying outside the Bournemouth abortion clinic "buffer zone"
November 24, 2022, United KingdomIn November 2022, policemen confronted a woman praying in a public space, on the edge of a "buffer zone" (a 150m neutral zone surrounding abortion clinics in British law). The case raises polemics about "buffer zones" in general.
Vandals Sprayed Blasphemous tag on a crucifix in Italy
November 22, 2022, ItalyUnknown perpetrators traced a big blasphemous writing on a votive crucifix at via Chiesa Rossa in Milan. "Now there is no limit to the vandalistic drift, we are seriously concerned. We ask for a stance from the institutions," said vice-president of the coordination of Milan committees, Fabiola Minoletti, quoted by Milano Today.
St Joseph's Church vandalised and desecrated in Cannes
November 22, 2022, FranceOn 22. November night, the church of St. Joseph was broken into and desecrated in Cannes. Furniture and drawers were emptied out, donations were stolen, and gasoline was poured all over the walls and floors. The faithful are shocked at the sight of the incident. A mass of reparation is planned for next Friday in the presence of Mgr Nault.
Barbecues, fires and vandalism Outside the Church in Almeria, Spain
November 21, 2022, SpainNeighbors of Almería complain that every morning, the area around the church of San Roque, a parish in Almería, is full of garbage and the remains of the previous night's 'botellón' (parties). Recently, the remains of a bonfire appeared on one of the walls of the parish church of San Roque after a barbecue was made at the place, damaging the facade of the church. This form of damage shows a lack of respect for religious groups.
Two old bells stolen from a church in Italy
November 21, 2022, ItalyAs reported by the newspaper Libertà Sicilia, on November 8, investigators from Sicily received the report of a crime concerning the theft of two antique bells dating back to the early 1900s, stolen from a church. The investigation allowed the tracing of the first perpetrator. As a result of the in-depth investigations, the agents were later able to identify two other individuals, responsible for the laundering of brass scrap, (with a total weight of 55 kilograms) of a bell stolen from another church in the Diocese of Netina.
Theft from church in Italy: all the votive gold of St. Rocco stolen in Abruzzo
November 20, 2022, ItalyFr. Nicolas, the rector of the churches of Santa Maria dell'Olmo and San Rocco in Archi, reported that all the guarded votive gold dedicated to Saint Roch had been stolen. This has been reported on the 20th of November. The police have been notified and are conducting investigations.
Arson to Wooden Chapel in Lithuania
November 20, 2022, LithuaniaA suspect has been caught on CCTV cameras after a wooden chapel in the Prienai district was set on fire on the 20th November. The chapel was in the churchyard of the Skriaudžiai church. Firefighters could not save the wooden building. Fr. Antanas Mickevičius, parish priest of St. Laurynas parish in Skriaudžiai, suspected that the fire was caused by arson: "There was no electricity, fireplace or candles [in the chapel], nothing like that. It could only be arson" quoted Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT). After investigating, the firefighters believed that the building may have been set on fire after being doused with a flammable liquid.
Drafted 'conversion therapy ban' in Belgium Raises Concerns for Religious Freedom
November 18, 2022, BelgiumAt the end of October, a draft bill was approved by the Council of Ministers to ban so-called "conversion practices" against LGBTQ+ people. The bill was carried out by the Minister of Equality Opportunity Secretary, Sarah Schlitz. The adoption of this specific bill will allow the ban to take effect immediately. While the protection of victims from abuse and manipulative practices is extremely important, the bill could threaten religious freedom, as the Minister affirms she wants to ban "ALL forms of conversion therapies". Given that there is not a clear definition of what counts as "conversion practice", the bill could ban simple prayers and private conversations among Christians.
Thieves steal a valuable chasuble from a church in Germany
November 18, 2022, GermanyA chasuble from the 19th century was stolen on Monday 18. from the high altar of the Citykirche in Aachen, where it was exposed in an ongoing art installation. For the parish of St. Francis of Aachen (where the chasuble originally belongs) this theft is a serious loss, emphasized Father Timotheus Eller to Aachener Zeitung.
Man sets fire to a church fence with can of Petrol in Moscow
November 17, 2022, RussiaOn 17 November a man tried to set fire to the wooden fence of an Orthodox church on Kavkazskiy Bul'var in Moscow. He was arrested nearby by law enforcement officials. He claims that he went for a walk with a can of petrol, then emptied it on the fence for no reason and set it on fire. Pending his trial for "vandalism", he is under house arrest and released under judicial supervision.
Up to 10 years in prison for a couple that stole from more than 20 churches in Poland.
November 16, 2022, PolandPolice officers in Poland have detained a married couple who robbed church donation boxes. The couple, from Białystok, stole from more than 20 churches. Among other things, several hundred zlotys and the keys to one of the churches were found in their car.
Two Priests 'Kidnapped' by Russian Forces in Berdyansk
November 16, 2022, UkraineThe Donetsk Exarchate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church announced that on 16 November, two priests of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin of Berdyansk, currently under Russian control, were "illegally arrested" by the Rosgvardiya (Russia's National Guard).
Ukraine: Catholic Priests Still Missing After Nine Months
November 16, 2022, UkraineOn the 16th of November, 2022, two Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priests, Ivan Levytsky and Bohdan Heletta were taken prisoner by Russian troops in Berdjansk, south-east Ukraine, currently under Russian occupation. Since then, nothing has been heard of them. Maksym Rjabucha, auxiliary bishop: "Despite the prayers, protests and efforts of the Catholic Church, there is still no news about them."
A Pile of Books set on Fire inside church Causes Great Damage
November 15, 2022, FranceOn 16. November, the church in the small town of Champagnat was severely damaged by fire. 39 firemen were mobilised to secure the building and extinguish the fire, which seems to have been started on a pile of books that were placed beside a wooden confessional. The alert was raised by people attending a funeral, who saw thick smoke coming out of the church. A local volunteer fireman began containing the fire until the fire brigade arrived. They were able to preserve a painting of Christ, but another painting was destroyed, along with the books, a statue and the confessional.
Arson to church in France
November 15, 2022, FrancePlastic objects inside the church have been set on fire and were burned on a candle holder on the 15th of November. The incident was discovered by a parishioner, who had opened the church and left to return a couple of hours later. When she came back, the premises smelled like burning, so she alerted the parish priest. They also notified the police, who realized that plastic objects had been set on fire intentionally by unknown perpetrators.
Unknown Perpetrators Tagg Church with Insults and Satanic Symbols
November 15, 2022, GermanyIn November 2022, there was an attack on a Catholic church in Augsburg, in the Oberhausen discritc. Unknown perpetrators threw eggs at the church of St. Peter and Paul and tagged it with graffiti. The graffiti said "F*CK JESUS", it also had a Satanic star and the number "666", which refers to the devil.
Greek football star will appeal prison sentence for Controversial Social Media Post
November 14, 2022, GreeceThe former football player Vasilios Tsiartas was sentenced this November to 10 months in prison for a comment made on Facebook in 2017 where he stated that “God created Adam and Eve” in response to a bill for the redefinition of gender identity. On his Twitter account, he has stated that he will appeal the sentence.
Unknown Perpetrators Set Fire to Church Germany
November 13, 2022, GermanyUnknown persons set a fire at the St. Bonifatius church on the 13th of November in Freckenhorst. According to police, the fire did not spread much but it damaged part of the stone floor. The perpetrators also smeared a wall in the church with soot. The police are now looking for information to identify the vandals.
Sacrilegious and probably Satanic attack to Italian Church
November 13, 2022, ItalyUnknown persons entered the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in Monterone, on the 16th of November. They enacted numerous acts of vandalism, destroying and stealing sacred furnishings and iconography. In particular, the perpetrators detached and carried away an ancient wooden crucifix later found by police inside a heavily damaged garbage can. According to the sources, the form of desecration and damage indicates that it might have been a satanic motivated attack.
Molotov cocktail Thrown at church in Germany
November 13, 2022, GermanyOn the 13th November, the door of the Sankt Laurentius church in Langenhorn was set on fire by unknown perpetrators. A video of the crime was uploaded on the internet but it has been removed again. A vandal threw a Molotov Cocktail at the church and posted a video of the flames. The police opened an investigation with the video.
Vandals Smash Stained-Glass Windows of St. Llwchaiarn Church
November 10, 2022, United KingdomA church in Llanllwchaiarn (near Newtown) is facing a "at least" £30,000 bill after unknown vandals smashed six glass-stained windows. The windows of the St. Llwchaiarn church were protected with a wire mesh, but the vandals were still able to break the glass, apparently with iron rods from an old grave. The incident took place between the 8th and 10th of November.
Man Throws Fireworks at Church during Service
November 8, 2022, GermanyDuring a church service in the Catholic Church of Abtsgmünd, a man threw a firework into the building on the 8th of November. The firecracker remained in the entrance area and burned down there. "Fortunately, it did not explode," commented a police spokesman. No one was injured in the incident, but there were slight burn marks on the carpet. The perpetrator was not identified.
Arson and Vandalism to church in Italy
November 8, 2022, ItalyPolice officers in Cerignola, Foggiano, arrested a 32-year-old immigrant man responsible for damaging the church and setting fire to the door. He also insulted the religious denomination. As he was confronted, he resisted and injured a public official. During a patrol, police officers noticed the flames in front of the main door of the church of San Domenico and the perpetrator running away with a canister probably containing flammable liquid.
Norwegian Christian Prayer channel Blocked by YouTube
November 8, 2022, NorwayCNE News reports that YouTube has banned a Norwegian prayer channel called "Kanal 10 'We pray for you'" for allegedly violating the social media guidelines under the category of "online spam, deceptive practices and fraud." Øyvind Rygg, the general manager of Kanal 10, says there are also no economic interests in the program. "We were told last week Monday that if we continued to broadcast the prayer program, YouTube would block us. That means that they are ending our entire channel on YouTube", told Rygg to Dagen.
Thief detained for sacrilegious theft from church in Italy
November 7, 2022, ItalyOn the 7th of November, it was reported that the cross was stolen a few months before from Montesano Cathedral. The cross was taken from the hands of the statue of St. Rita. Now it has been recovered and the thief has been detained.
Arson and theft to church in Orenburg
November 7, 2022, RussiaThe Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia "Orskoye" of the Orenburg region completed the investigation of a criminal case on charges of a 31-year-old citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan of stealing money and setting fire to a building of the temple complex of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul of the Orsk diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in the city of Novotroitsk.
Spain: Man arrested after Insulting and Punching Priest
November 7, 2022, SpainOn the 7. November in the city of Granada, a 36-year-old man was arrested for insulting and attacking a priest on the public street during the day. The parish priest, José Gabriel Martín, as waking on the Elvira Street wearing his office clothing and collar, as he was approached by the attacker, who insulted him. The priest entered a bar for refuge, where the attacker followed and punched him in the eye.
Youth Vandalism at Burgdorf Church
November 6, 2022, GermanyOn Sunday 6th of November, unknown perpetrators caused damage to a window pane of the St. Pancratius Church in Burgdorf. According to witnesses, a group of youths were at the church and then fled. As the police arrived, some remaining youths gave the police some information regarding the ones who fled. The damage was estimated at 1000 euros.