Seven incidents of vandalism and desecration targeting Catholic sites in Spain were reported in recent weeks, raising alarms about growing religious intolerance.
Newsroom (04/09/2025, Gaudium Press )The Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience (OLRC) in Spain has condemned a series of attacks on Catholic churches, labeling August a “black month” for religious freedom. Seven incidents of vandalism and desecration targeting Catholic sites were reported across the country in recent weeks, raising alarms about growing religious intolerance.
On Aug. 11, vandals defaced the steps of St. Catherine parish in Rute, Cordoba province, with black paint, days before the patron saint’s feast day. The following day, a person identifying as transgender disrupted the perpetual adoration chapel at St. Martin parish in Valencia, shouting insults, breaking a monstrance, and harassing worshippers, according to the OLRC.
On Aug. 13, offensive graffiti accusing the Catholic Church of corruption marred Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Palma de Mallorca. The next day, an apparently intoxicated man attacked a sacristan and parishioners during a Eucharistic celebration at Valencia Cathedral.
The violence escalated on Aug. 17 when a man broke into St. James the Apostle parish in Albuñol, Granada province, damaging statues and starting a fire that required two hours to extinguish. On Aug. 24, a woman, reportedly suffering from psychiatric issues, vandalized the Assumption of Our Lady church in Yeles, Toledo province, causing significant damage to sacred statues, including the Child of Remedies and the Virgin of Solitude.
The month closed with an attack on Aug. 31, when two activists from the environmental group Futuro Vegetal threw dye at the façade of Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia Basilica to protest forest fires, which they attributed to ranching activities.
María García, president of the OLRC, described the incidents as evidence of “the rise of Christianophobia and the vulnerability of religious freedom in our country.” She warned that such attacks risk becoming normalized without decisive action. “August has been a dark month for religious freedom,” García said in a statement. “The succession of attacks on churches demonstrates that violence and hatred against Christians are far from isolated cases.”
The OLRC noted that Christians are consistently the most targeted religious group, according to its Reports on Attacks on Religious Freedom in Spain. García called for a “firm response” from authorities, including increased resources to protect the nation’s religious heritage. Many parish priests, facing rising vandalism, have resorted to installing security cameras or closing churches altogether.
“These events represent a worrying trend of religious intolerance,” García said. “We demand that central government and municipal agencies develop specific prevention plans against attacks on churches and rigorously apply the penal code to address hate crimes and offenses against religious sentiments.”
The OLRC urged civil society and institutions to report acts of religious hatred and to confront the issue head-on. “Only by bringing these attacks out in the open and reacting firmly can we guarantee coexistence and respect for the freedom of all,” García said.
The spate of incidents has sparked a broader debate about safeguarding Spain’s religious heritage and ensuring the safety of worshippers amid growing concerns over religious intolerance.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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