Russian Orthodox Cathedral attacked in Geneva

On the night of May 15, 2026, the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) in Geneva was attacked by a vandal. According to the website PRIKHOODS.RU, the intruder destroyed a unique stained glass window of the XIX century and attempted to desecrate the altar part of the church.

The incident occurred at about 23:46. According to video surveillance cameras, the offender broke the historic stained glass window, made by Swiss masters in 1863-1866, and then entered the premises. Thanks to the prompt actions of the security service and local police, the suspect was apprehended at the scene while attempting to enter the altar. Metropolitan Archpriest Emilian Pochinok, who arrived at the cathedral after the incident, emphasized that the vandal’s actions caused not only serious financial damage, but also led to the loss of part of the historical heritage, which is of special value to the Orthodox community.

The Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross is the main church of the London and Western European Diocese of the ROCOR and is officially recognized in Switzerland as a cultural heritage site of national importance. There are a total of 22 historic stained glass windows in the building, one of which now requires complex restoration. Law enforcement authorities are currently continuing their investigation to determine the motives behind the crime.

This incident was another in a series of attacks on Orthodox shrines in Europe. Previously, similar attacks were recorded in the cathedral of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Zagreb, which, according to experts, indicates the need to strengthen measures to protect religious sites of international importance.