In Bosnia, vandals desecrated Christian holy sites and committed arson

On the night of July 28, 2026, a series of acts of vandalism occurred at the well-known pilgrimage site of Medjugorje (Bosnia): unknown perpetrators desecrated statues of the Virgin Mary and deliberately set fire to a street altar. According to 24sata, law enforcement authorities were able to quickly apprehend a suspect in the crimes.

The incident caused a widespread public outcry among local residents and pilgrims. The perpetrators desecrated statues of the Virgin Mary located on Mount Podbrdo and near the “Blue Cross” by dousing them with black paint. Offensive graffiti in English, such as “DEVIL IN A SKIRT” and “EVIL,” was left on the pedestals.

In addition, surveillance cameras captured footage of a man dousing a street altar near St. James Church with a flammable liquid and setting it on fire at around 5:00 a.m. Despite the damage caused to the site, local volunteers and parishioners were able to quickly restore order on the sanctuary grounds by the evening of the same day.

Police located and detained the suspect in the village of Cerno, near Lyubushki. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the arrest, and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.