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.
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
Greece signs memorandum on protection of Jerusalem Patriarchate's shrines
Next week, the Greek Parliament will ratify a document on the protection of the cultural heritage of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.
Greek bishop calls imposition of same-sex marriage a threat
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera urged families to become a “domestic church” amid threats to the Christian family in Greek laws and school curricula.
Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Budapest for opening of Orthodox center
The Ecumenical Patriarch has arrived in Hungary, where he will preside over the consecration of the Orthodox center "Phanarion."
OCU raiders stage attack on seized church in Kyiv, media
OCU "hierarch" Serhiy Horobtsov published a provocative post online regarding St. John's Church in Bykivnia seized by his people.