Rome, 28 July (LaPresse) – An act of vandalism took place overnight in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where several statues of the Virgin Mary were defaced. As shown on the Marian website ‘La luce di Maria’, the statue of the Virgin was defaced with black paint, which disfigured her face, torso and a large portion of her robe. An insult in English, ‘Devil In a skirt’, also appeared on the monument’s plinth. The vandals targeted a second key landmark for the community of the faithful: the Blue Cross. Here too, the two Marian statues were daubed with black liquid, whilst the word ‘Evil’ was scrawled on an adjacent stone. The vandals then also targeted the outdoor altar of St James’s Parish, causing obvious damage to the structure. The parish of Medjugorje, one of the world’s leading Marian pilgrimage sites, has also commented on the incident. “It is with great sadness,” reads the statement on its website, “that we have learnt of the act of vandalism that has damaged the places of prayer in our parish. We have immediately begun cleaning and repair work to ensure that all areas are once again suitable for prayer. We thank all those who, through their work and selfless help, are helping to ensure that the sanctuary remains a place of encounter with God, a place of peace and a place where the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, is honoured.”
Act of vandalism in Medjugorje: statues of the Virgin Mary defaced
Rome, 28 July (LaPresse) – An act of vandalism took place overnight in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where several statues of the Virgin Mary were defaced. As shown on the Marian website ‘La luce di Maria’, the statue of the Virgin was defaced with black paint, which disfigured her face, torso and a large portion of her robe. An insult in English, ‘Devil In a skirt’, also appeared on the monument’s plinth. The vandals targeted a second key landmark for the community of the faithful: the Blue Cross. Here too, the two Marian statues were daubed with black liquid, whilst the word ‘Evil’ was scrawled on an adjacent stone. The vandals then also targeted the outdoor altar of St James’s Parish, causing obvious damage to the structure. The parish of Medjugorje, one of the world’s leading Marian pilgrimage sites, has also commented on the incident. “It is with great sadness,” reads the statement on its website, “that we have learnt of the act of vandalism that has damaged the places of prayer in our parish. We have immediately begun cleaning and repair work to ensure that all areas are once again suitable for prayer. We thank all those who, through their work and selfless help, are helping to ensure that the sanctuary remains a place of encounter with God, a place of peace and a place where the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, is honoured.”
