Vandals behead Virgin Mary statue on Italian island of Ischia

Beheaded statue of the Virgin Mary on the island of Ischia. Photo: NapoliToday

In the Italian municipality of Forio, unknown perpetrators desecrated a roadside statue of the Virgin Mary. The vandals cut off the head of the Madonna della Pelara statue in the village of Panza – the third such act of sacrilege on the island of Ischia, NapoliToday reports.

Residents of Panza expressed deep dismay and outrage over yet another desecration of the Christian shrine. The local Pro Loco association issued a statement on social media describing the incident as an open rejection of religious imagery.

On this topic Church vandalism in Europe doubled in July, report says

Representatives of the organization stressed that the incident could not be dismissed as an accident or an ordinary act of hooliganism. According to the activists, someone in the community is fundamentally hostile to traditional Christian symbols.

The organization said it plans to repair the damaged statue in the near future.

As the UOJ reported, Lviv police opened a case against a man over the desecration of a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Read also

UGCC reps gift Pope with embroidered Ukrainian shirt

The UGCC members said it was important to tell the pontiff about Ukrainians who had migrated to Europe because of the war.

“Ancient Kyiv” head complains OCU barred him from capital church

Roman Malenkov said OCU representatives called him a Bolshevik.

Greek theologian voices support for Sviatohirsk Lavra brotherhood

Theologian Michail Maroudis said it is impossible to remain indifferent to the tragedy in Sviatohirsk and called for prayers for the slain monk.

Several churches damaged by shelling in Russia and occupied territories

Over the course of several days, churches in the Tambov and Zaporizhzhia regions, Krasnodar Krai and Donbas came under attack.

Chernivtsi cathedral cleric comments on commission’s visit to seize church

The enforcement service temporarily left Chernivtsi’s Holy Spirit Cathedral without resorting to force.

UOC left out again as DESS updates list of groups eligible for exemptions

The “critically important” list includes 11,220 organizations, among them 61 communities of the defunct UAOC and 19 pagan groups. Not a single UOC parish is included.