Rising attacks on places of worship in Europe, Americas spark concern. Vandalism, assaults reflect ideological hostility, threatening religious freedom.
Newsroom (24/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) A disturbing rise in violence and vandalism targeting places of worship and religious believers has spread beyond traditional conflict zones, with Europe, South America, and North America witnessing a significant uptick in incidents, according to a recent report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
In 2023, France reported nearly 1,000 attacks on churches, while Greece documented over 600 acts of vandalism. Similar trends have emerged in Spain, Italy, and the United States, where attacks extend beyond property damage to include disruptions of worship services and assaults on clergy. In Chile, approximately 300 vandalism incidents have been recorded, some linked to far-left groups during periods of social unrest, particularly in the country’s south.
“These attacks reflect a climate of ideological hostility toward religion,” José Luis Bazán, a legal adviser on religious freedom for the Commission of the Episcopal Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and an author of the ACN report, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. “Attacks or acts of vandalism against places of worship are pandemic,” he added, noting the phenomenon spans Europe, the Anglo-Saxon world—Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia—and Latin America, particularly Chile and Argentina.
Bazán highlighted coordinated vandalism tied to events like International Women’s Day on March 8, with radical feminist groups in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Spain defacing churches with slogans such as “Get your rosaries off our ovaries” or, in one case, “You will drink the blood of our abortions” scrawled in front of the Logroño co-cathedral in Spain. He also cited the case of artist Abel Azcona, who stole consecrated hosts from over 200 Masses to create an installation spelling out “pedophilia,” an act later deemed permissible by the European Court of Human Rights, which failed to recognize the hosts’ sacred significance to Christians. “This judicial interpretation has given room for desecration,” Bazán lamented.
Impunity and Vulnerable Sacred Spaces
Most attacks go unpunished, Bazán noted, due to the challenges of identifying perpetrators. “These are attacks that occur at night, in remote churches, without cameras,” he said, emphasizing the vulnerability of religious heritage. With tens of thousands of churches, chapels, and shrines scattered across Europe’s rural areas, prevention and investigation remain daunting tasks.
‘Soft Persecution’ and Threats to Freedom of Conscience
The ACN report also warns of mounting pressure on freedom of conscience, particularly in Europe. Bazán echoed Pope Francis’ concept of “soft persecution,” describing it as an attempt to “hijack people’s consciences.” While Westerners can generally practice religious rituals, social and professional repercussions are increasingly common. For instance, in Spain, efforts to compile lists of doctors who refuse to perform abortions could jeopardize their careers, barring them from roles on hospital ethics committees or leadership positions in fields like gynecology.
Bazán also pointed to self-censorship as a sophisticated form of control, where individuals refrain from expressing beliefs to avoid consequences. Online platforms, pressured by state-imposed content moderation policies, often remove or suppress religious viewpoints, with “ideologically biased” fact-checking NGOs contributing to the censorship, he explained. “The censored person will simply see that the message no longer appears,” Bazán said, noting temporary bans on social media posting are common.
An ‘Invisible Wall’ of Restrictions
Christians increasingly face an “invisible wall” of societal and institutional barriers, Bazán warned, where dissent is stifled through a complex interplay of state and non-state actors. Restrictive European regulations and cultural pressures exacerbate this, creating environments where religious expression is subtly but effectively curtailed.
As attacks on sacred spaces and believers escalate, the ACN report underscores the urgent need for stronger protections for religious freedom and heritage worldwide.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
Related Images:
