Medjugorje restores vandalized Marian statue and burned altar as police detain a suspect and church leaders urge prayer and compassion.
Newsroom (29/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) Workers and volunteers at the renowned Marian pilgrimage site of Medjugorje have begun restoring a vandalized statue of the Virgin Mary and repairing a burned outdoor altar following an overnight attack that shocked pilgrims and local residents.
The incident occurred on July 28 at Apparition Hill, the hillside where six young people reported alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1981. Since then, the location has become one of the most significant Catholic pilgrimage destinations in Europe, attracting millions of visitors seeking prayer, confession and spiritual renewal.
Photographs from the site showed a statue of Mary defaced with black spray paint and offensive graffiti, including the phrase “devil in a skirt.” Authorities also reported that an outdoor altar associated with St. James Church was set on fire during the attack. Police detained a Polish suspect in connection with the incident.
Despite the damage, parish workers and volunteers moved quickly to begin cleaning and restoration efforts. Church officials emphasized that the vandalism would not disrupt religious activities and that pilgrims would continue to have access to the shrine.
“The shrine remains open to all pilgrims. The prayer program is taking place regularly, and all spaces are being rapidly cleaned and prepared so that they can once again be a place of prayer and encounter with the Lord,” the St. James parish office said in a statement.
The response from the local Catholic community has focused not only on repairing the physical damage but also on promoting prayer, forgiveness and compassion. Parish leaders strongly condemned the attack while encouraging believers to avoid responding with anger.
“We pray for the conversion of the hearts of those who committed this act, that the Lord may touch them with His grace and lead them on the path of goodness,” the parish said in a July 28 statement.
As news of the incident spread, discussion also turned toward the circumstances surrounding the detained suspect. Among those urging caution against harsh public judgment was Polish Catholic filmmaker Jan Sobierajski, who said he knew the man personally.
Sobierajski explained that the two had previously worked together on the faith-based docudrama Powolany 2 (Called 2), which features personal stories of conversion and religious faith. According to the filmmaker, the man had experienced a dramatic decline in both his personal and spiritual life in recent years.
“He was in a completely different period of his life — both personally and spiritually,” Sobierajski wrote in a Facebook post.
The filmmaker expressed concern over the rapid spread of condemnation online, arguing that many people were passing judgment without understanding the difficulties the suspect had faced.
“Why am I writing this? Because in moments like this it is very easy to pass judgment,” Sobierajski wrote. “Just look at the internet — full of harsh comments, condemnation and publishing the image and data of a person who found himself in a dramatic moment of his life.”
According to Sobierajski, the man had struggled with a series of personal crises, including job loss, the breakdown of his marriage and other serious hardships. He said he had personally encouraged the man to seek professional help but that those efforts were ultimately rejected.
At the same time, Sobierajski stressed that these circumstances should not be viewed as a justification for the alleged actions.
“That, of course, does not justify what happened. The desecration remains something very painful,” he wrote. “But before we condemn a person, it is worth remembering that behind his actions there may be a tragedy that is not visible at first glance.”
Speaking later to Radio Warszawa, Sobierajski urged Christians to focus on the spiritual welfare of the accused rather than solely on the damage caused to religious property.
“We are fighting for something much greater — for this man’s eternal life,” he said, noting that damaged religious objects can be repaired.
The attack comes at a particularly significant time for Medjugorje. The shrine is preparing to host Mladifest, its annual youth festival, which attracts tens of thousands of young pilgrims from around the world.
Medjugorje remains one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage destinations in Europe. Although the Vatican has not formally declared the reported apparitions supernatural, Pope Francis approved public devotion and pilgrimages to the site in 2024, further strengthening its role as a major center of Catholic spirituality.
As restoration work continues, church officials say their priority is ensuring that Apparition Hill and other prayer sites are once again ready to welcome pilgrims. The response from the parish has combined practical efforts to repair the damage with a message centered on prayer, forgiveness and concern for all those affected by the incident, including the man accused of carrying it out.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV News
