A Dutch church was targeted by theft, arson and vandalism
On the 15th of September, two statues of the Virgin Mary were severely damaged and personal belongings, along with devotional objects, were set on fire at St. Anthony Abbot Church in Wijchen, Gelderland.
In the chapel the wooden statue of Mary, along with candles and rosaries, were set ablaze leading to the temporary closure of the space. The damage in the Lourdes Grotto, located in the church garden, was even more severe.
Personal items were destroyed, and the stone statue of Mary was shattered. “We found fragments of the statue scattered around,” said Father Frits Hendriks. The wooden statue from the chapel survived with its head and torso charred but largely intact.
Local residents are deeply shaken by the incidents, with many questioning the motive behind such acts. The attack follows two similar acts of vandalism in the region: on the 7th of September, the Marian chapel in Gennep was vandalised, and on the 13th of September, the Willibrordus Church in Mill was also targeted.
Source: wijchen.nieuws.nl
