Church Attacks Database

Romanesque basilica vandalized. Donation boxes broken, religious statues pushed over.

New Year's Eve vandalism. Windows broken, graffiti on exterior walls.

Historic religious artifacts stolen including 17th-century chalice and candlesticks.

Minor vandalism to exterior of cathedral.

Fire started in confessional booth. Smoke damage throughout church.

Tourist vandalism. Religious art defaced.

Father Olivier Maire, 60-year-old priest, murdered by Rwandan refugee he was sheltering. Emmanuel Abayisenga, the same man who set fire to Nantes Cathedral in 2020, beat the priest to death after Father Maire had given him shelter both before and after his trial.

Historic Jesuit church vandalized. Baroque decorations damaged.

Graffiti and minor damage to exterior of church.

Minor vandalism and graffiti on cathedral grounds.

Windows smashed, religious statues damaged, anti-Christian graffiti.

Historic religious items stolen including silver chalices and reliquaries.

Large fire in sacristy of church in Wazemmes neighborhood. Significant damage to religious vestments and artifacts.

11th-century UNESCO heritage site. Religious frescoes defaced, donations box stolen.

Windows broken, pews damaged, religious texts burned.

Historic church vandalized with graffiti.

Stained glass windows damaged, nativity scene destroyed during Advent.

Minor vandalism to exterior, graffiti on walls.

Statues beheaded, altar overturned, religious paintings slashed during All Saints Day.

Attack during All Saints celebrations. Icons damaged, crosses overturned.

Church exterior vandalized with anti-religious graffiti.

Terrorist attack during morning mass. Three people killed, including 60-year-old woman nearly beheaded.

Crucifix vandalized, religious paintings defaced with spray paint.

Church vandalized during protests. Windows broken, paint thrown on facade.

Historic cathedral vandalized during Assumption of Mary celebrations. Statues damaged.

Gothic church vandalized. Stained glass cracked, religious statues damaged.

Fire destroyed the grand organ and damaged stained glass windows. Church volunteer confessed.

Rwandan refugee and cathedral volunteer Emmanuel Abayisenga deliberately set three fires inside historic cathedral. Completely destroyed 17th-century organ that survived French Revolution and WWII. Priceless artifacts, paintings, and 16th-century stained glass lost. Damage estimated over €40 million. Same perpetrator later murdered Father Olivier Maire in 2021.

Fire started in storage area. Damage to religious vestments and liturgical items.

Royal tombs desecrated, stained glass broken, religious artifacts stolen. Burial site of French kings.

Three separate arson incidents: church bulletins burned in February, Bible burned in March, altar set on fire in May.

Graffiti on historic basilica exterior walls.

Convent targeted with arson days after being vandalized with paint.

Church vandalized with spray-paint and minibus parked outside set ablaze.

18-year-old man defecated in front of altar and smeared feces on statue of Jesus Christ.

Baptismal font destroyed, statues smashed, "Anti-Christian" graffiti spraypainted on walls.

Two separate fires considerably damaged 16th-century church. First fire in sacristy, then larger fire in church roof. Both fires appear deliberately set.

Historic 12th-century church set on fire by arsonists. Significant damage to interior and roof structure.

Massive fire destroyed the spire and roof of the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral during renovation work.

Statue of Blessed Virgin Mary decapitated and broken into pieces by vandals.

Arsonist attempted twice on the same day to set fire to historic cathedral. Fires were quickly extinguished but caused damage to entrance.

Fire started near main entrance, damaging doors and stained glass. Suspicious timing one month before Notre-Dame.

Second-largest church in Paris set on fire deliberately. Large wooden door on southern transept burned, stained-glass window ruined, interior caked with soot. Fire quickly contained by firefighters.

Crucifix smashed, altar desecrated with human excrement, religious statues destroyed.

Church vandalized by Feminist Autonomous Cell group with spray paint and anti-religious slogans.

Fire set to altar cloths and religious texts. Part of wave of 12 church attacks in February 2019.

Unknown individuals started fire in historic Catholic basilica causing significant damage to interior.

Group broke windows and threw incendiary devices at university chapel during anti-religious attack.

Police discovered incendiary device similar to Molotov cocktail placed on church window. Device was safely removed before ignition.

Small fire in sacristy. Security guard extinguished quickly. ISIS flag found at scene.

Christmas Eve mass disrupted. Man shouting "Allahu Akbar" attacked worshippers with bottle.

Fire started in pews during Sunday service. 200 worshippers evacuated.

Historic Catholic church set on fire by arsonist causing over €500,000 in damage. Part of wave of church attacks across Germany.