Crime28 July, 20262 min read
Vandals Desecrate Medjugorje Marian Shrine, Set St. James Altar Ablaze Before Youth Festival
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Vandals desecrated two Our Lady statues and set fire to Medjugorje's outdoor altar. A foreign national, reportedly Polish, was arrested in connection with the attack.
Arson and graffiti at Medjugorje
Vandals desecrated the Medjugorje Marian shrine in Bosnia and Herzegovina, daubing a statue of Mary on Apparition Hill with black paint and setting an altar behind St. James parish church ablaze on Tuesday, days before a youth festival in the town.
The Irish Mirror reported that the statue was covered with black paint across the face, chest, and dress with the words “Devil in a skirt” scrawled on its pedestal, while a nearby stone slab carried the word “EVIL.”
Police later confirmed to local media that a suspect was detained, as residents awoke to find the burning altar and defaced statues just before the youth festival.
In parallel, the parish office said it was working to clean and repair the damage so that all spaces would be “nuovamente adeguatamente preparati per la preghiera,” while the shrine remained open to all pilgrims.
Parish, officials condemn act
Medjugorje parish office urged the faithful to respond with prayer and forgiveness, saying, “We received with great sadness the news of the act of vandalism that damaged the places of prayer in our parish,” and calling on people to answer “as Our Lady has been teaching us in Medjugorje for more than 40 years: with prayer, fasting, and forgiveness.” The Interreligious Council of Bosnia-Erzegovina condemned the vandalism as “un grave affronto” and an “attacco alla pace, al rispetto reciproco e alla dignità di tutte le persone in Bosnia-Erzegovina,” according to the Italian report.
On the political side, Euronews reported that the Italian minister of Tourism, Gianmarco Mazzi, said the provocations were “inaccettabili” in a note tied to major religious and cultural events. Euronews also said police detained a 31-year-old Polish citizen in the city of Cerno near Ljubuški, and that the man was in custody as authorities sought to clarify the motive.
Investigation and what’s at stake
Investigators and police tracked the incident through surveillance footage, with Sky TG24 describing a video showing a man pouring liquid—“presumibilmente benzina”—on the outdoor altar of the Church of St. James before setting it on fire.
HRT said the Ministry of the Interior of the Herzegovina-Neretva County received the first report at 4:30 a.m. about damage to the statue on Podbrdo and a report of a fire at 5 a.m. on the outer part of the altar, which was quickly extinguished.
The parish said the prayer program would continue, adding that “all areas are being rapidly cleaned and prepared so that they can once again be a place of prayer and encounter with the Lord,” while the sanctuary “remains open to all pilgrims.”
Catholic World Report said Mladifest opens Aug. 1 and is expected to draw 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims, placing the shrine’s upcoming youth festival and the continued pastoral schedule in the spotlight after the vandalism and arson.