Ukraine: Zelenskyy Reports Around 120 Clergy Killed in Russian Attacks since 2022
October 31, 2026, UkrainePresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian forces have killed around 120 members of the clergy and damaged or destroyed approximately 800 religious sites in Ukraine. His statement comes amid documentation of detention, torture and restrictions on Christian worship in territories under Russian occupation since the beginning of the 2022 war.
Statue of the Virgin Mary Destroyed at Ripoli Shrine
October 31, 2026, ItalyAn unknown perpetrator destroyed a statue of the Madonna and Child in a roadside shrine in Bagno a Ripoli, across from the Ponti Gardens. With a heavy instrument, the perpetrator is believed to have struck the head of the figure of Mary, which was found shattered beneath the shrine. News of the incident provoked condemnation and initiative from the local community to assist in reparation of the statue.
Catholic Youths Targeted in Assault Near Rouen Fair
October 31, 2026, FranceOn the 31 October, a group of Catholic men were physically assaulted in Rouen while walking towards the Saint-Romain fair and singing Catholic hymns. According to the report, they were confronted by a group of men in black, shouting slurs such as "fascist" and "dirty whites" at them before beating them. Several of the victims sustained injuries, including one with a fractured eye socket. The mayor of Rouen condemned the violence, and the prosecution has opened an investigation into "violence on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nation, or religion."
