UPDATE: A Ghanaian man was Arrested for Attacking Catholic Churches in Rome!

Report from EWTN

Heart-breaking vandalism desecrates four churches in Rome

A 39 year old Ghanaian national has been arrested for attacking four churches in Rome and vandalising many priceless sacred statutes, including some 300 years old. The perpetrator attacked sacred art in the 9th-century Basilica of Santa Prassede, near Saint Mary Major, the church of San Martino ai Monti, and the Basilicas of San Giovanni de' Fiorentini, on the Via Giulia, and San Vitale, on the Via Nazionale.

At about 19:30 on the 30th September the parish priest of San Martino ai Monti reported to the police that a man had damaged a statue of the Madonna and infant Jesus. Shortly afterwards, the parish priest of the Basilica of Santa Prassede reported to the police that a man had damaged two statues, one of Saint Anthony of Padua and the other of Saint Prassede. Then on the morning of 1st October the police received reports of attacks on the Basilicas of San Giovanni de' Fiorentini, on the Via Giulia, and San Vitale, on the Via Nazionale. At these two churches the man attacked statues, candlesticks and crucifixes, while protesting that "it was not right that we worshipped in this way."

The police arrested the perpetrator at Ripetta, in the centre of Rome, and charged him with religious hatred and insulting religious institutions. He is being held in Regina Coeli prison.

Comment

It is alarming that violent attacks such as these on churches in Rome are occurring more frequently across Europe according to reports documented on the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe. The perpetrators of these attacks are more often than not motivated by secularism, feminism, LGBT ideology or Islam. At the present time, it is unclear what motivated the 39-year-old Ghanaian to attack four churches. However, the fact that he has been charged with religious hate crime suggests the authorities have concluded that his actions were not the result of mental illness.

ROME IS UNDER ATTACK! (Please Share!)

This alarming and very sad report was posted by Mr. Edoardo Fanfani at 4:21 PM, October 1, 2016 @ The Roman Anglican blog.

The Eternal City is under attack, our freedom and values are in danger.

Since it seems that no considerable press coverage has been given to the recent attacks occurred in Rome, either in Italy or elsewhere in the world, I decided to write mine own article in the hope not to incite hatred or intolerance, but rather to make people aware.

Last night a non-Italian individual entered the 9th century Basilica of Santa Prassede, just around the corner from the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the rather robust man started to smash everything he found, especially statues and candlesticks, right before a group of parishioners who were quite scared. The two devotional statues of Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Prassede were heavily damaged, the attacker did not have time to finish his job as he was heading towards the sanctuary and the crucifix when the police arrived. Later, according to video-recording proof he also entered the church of San Martino ai Monti, where he smashed a devotional statue of the Madonna and Child.

This morning two further attacks occurred in the Basilicas of San Giovanni de' Fiorentini, on the Via Giulia, and San Vitale, on the Via Nazionale. Here statues, candlesticks, crucifixes were smashed, the perpetrator at this time had time to admit that it was not right that we worshipped in this way.

Most artworks in San Giovanni de' Fiorentini were over 300 years old, but even if other statues and religious furniture weren't that old or precious we must realise that not only our art, culture and identity are in danger (and to us Italians they are the dearest thing we have, what makes us what we are), but our very freedom of worship, our own religion, here in Rome, here in the heart of Western Christianity.

Jesus mercy, Mary pray.

Please share.

Why there is a need for Catholic Defenders?

Because there are many man-made churches ATTACKING her!

"Cruz cited a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Iglesia Ni Cristo religious sect whose TV show had been given an X-rating by the censors’ board for attacking the teachings of the Catholic Church.

"Then Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who wrote the decision, said government censors were wrong when they tried to squelch the INC, adding that “it is not the task of the State to favor any religion by protecting it against an attack by another religion.” - Philippine Daily Inquirer