Europe’s Churches Under Siege as Thefts Skyrocket and Arson Attacks Ignite Fear
Statistics from French authorities reveal a 24 percent surge in church thefts over two years, totaling 780 cases in 2024.
These incidents encompassed the theft of sacred items like chalices and statues, as well as collection funds. This trend underscores heightened risks to Christian sites in the nation.
In Paris, at Notre-Dame d’Auteuil Church, Father Antoine Devienne recounted previous theft attempts, including one on a crown offered to the Virgin Mary.
The parish has since removed such valuables and implemented surveillance cameras alongside staff monitoring. Doors remain securely locked post-services to prevent unauthorized access.
Thefts represent only a fraction of broader threats, with arson attacks on French churches climbing 30 percent in 2024, nearing 50 events.
Across Europe, 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes were documented in 2023, many involving vandalism. Personal assaults on Christians numbered 232 that year.
In Spain, authorities detained a 21-year-old Moroccan migrant in 2024 for shattering a stained-glass window and attempting arson at the Church of Santiago Apóstol in Albuñol.
The local Islamic union denounced the event as uncharacteristic of their community. Spanish forces also prevented a terrorist plot against Elche Basilica in December 2024, apprehending four individuals.
Germany experienced a 20 percent rise in church attacks during 2024, recording 111 crimes. Over 2,000 property damage cases targeted Christian worship places in 2023. Incidents ranged from altar destruction to repeated organ vandalism.
France endured severe assaults, such as the 2016 slaying of Father Jacques Hamel during Mass in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray by Islamic State affiliates. This event exposed dangers to religious leaders and congregants. Comparable threats continue in various European regions.
In May 2025, roughly ten young men invaded Montfavet church near Avignon, chanting “Allahu Akbar” and vowing to incinerate the structure. They assaulted the priest and disrupted the premises before expulsion. Law enforcement subsequently secured Masses.
European churches grapple with dwindling participation and economic pressures. Austria noted about 85,000 Catholic exits in 2023, prompting asset disposals. This pattern impacts site upkeep across nations.
In Germany and France, bishoprics have auctioned idle properties amid attendance drops. For example, a church and rectory in Hirschwang an der Rax, Austria, appeared on the market. These dynamics exacerbate protection challenges for operational parishes.
Conservative voices argue that Europe’s leaders must prioritize protecting their Judeo-Christian heritage over open-border ideologies that exacerbate these dangers. Failure to act risks the permanent erosion of Christianity’s role in European society, a loss that is both preventable and tragic.
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