Vandals desecrate statues of Our Lady in Medjugorje days before festival

The statue of Our Lady on Podbrdo, or Hill of Apparitions, was covered with black paint on her face, chest and dress, with the words “Devil in a Skirt” scrawled on her pedestal, local media reported. The statue of Our Lady at the nearby Blue Cross was similarly defaced, with “EVIL” written on a nearby stone slab. A banner in Polish naming the six supposed seers was left near the Podbrdo statue.

Čitluk police received the first report at 4:30 a.m. and a report of fire at the recently renovated altar behind St. James parish church at 5 a.m., a police spokeswoman reportedly said. Surveillance footage shows a man pouring flammable liquid on the altar and setting it on fire. Cantonal police later confirmed to local media that a suspect was arrested on Tuesday afternoon. His identity was not disclosed.

“We received with great sadness the news of the act of vandalism that damaged places of prayer in our parish,” the Medjugorje parish office said in a statement, calling on the faithful to respond “as Our Lady has taught us in Medjugorje for more than 40 years: with prayer, fasting and forgiveness.”

Cleaning began immediately, the parish said, and “the sanctuary remains open to all pilgrims.”

Bishop Petar Palić, bishop of Mostar-Duvno, expressed deep sadness, urging the faithful not to let evil “infect us with its own logic”, while the Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina condemned the attack.

The Vatican has granted a “nihil obstat” (nothing obstacles) to devotion in Medjugorje in September 2024. Mladifest opens on August 1 and is expected to attract 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims.

©2026 Catholic News Agency. Published with permission. Original in English: Vandals deface Our Lady statues, set fire to altar at Medjugorje shrine https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/europe/vandals-deface-our-lady-statues-set-fire-to-altar-at-medjugorje-shrine