In Bosnia, vandals desecrate Mother of God statute and set fire to altar

In Bosnia, a vandal desecrated statues of the Virgin Mary and set an altar on fire. Collage: UOJ

In Bosnian Medjugorje, unknown individuals desecrated two places of prayer and set fire to an outdoor altar near the parish church, reports 24sata.

The act of vandalism occurred on the night of July 28, 2026, provoking sharp outrage among the numerous pilgrims and local faithful. The perpetrators doused statues of the Mother of God on Podbrdo Hill and at the "Blue Cross" with black paint.

The faces, chests, and parts of the garments of the figures were damaged. On the pedestal of the statue on Podbrdo Hill, the vandals left an offensive inscription in English — "DEVIL IN A SKIRT" — while near the "Blue Cross," the word "EVIL" was written on a stone slab.

In addition to the desecration of the sculptures, security cameras recorded an act of arson. At around five o'clock in the morning, a man doused the area of the recently renovated outdoor altar behind the Church of Saint James with a flammable liquid, then started a fire and fled. The fire damaged the area where thousands of people gather daily to participate in church services.

After a search lasting several hours, police officers detained a suspect in the crime. The man was found in the settlement of Cerno near Ljubuški. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the arrest, while local residents and volunteers had already restored the shrine to order by the evening of the same day: they cleaned the altar and installed new benches.

As the UOJ reported, vandals desecrated a statue of the Mother of God in the Lviv region.

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