Several prayer sites in Medjugorje, one of the world’s best-known Catholic pilgrimage destinations, were vandalised in the early hours of 28 July. Statues of the Virgin Mary were defaced with black paint and offensive graffiti, while a fire was deliberately started at the outdoor altar of St James Church.
Police received the first report at around 4:30 a.m. after the face and hands of the main statue of Our Lady on Apparition Hill, also known as Podbrdo, were found covered with black paint. Insults had been written on the statue’s pedestal and nearby surfaces. Another Marian statue and the prayer area around the Blue Cross were also damaged.
Some of the messages were written in English, including the phrase “Devil in a skirt.” Investigators also found a banner in Polish accusing the six people associated with the reported Marian apparitions in Medjugorje of being fraudsters.
Approximately half an hour after the first report, police were informed that a fire had broken out at the outdoor altar behind St James Church. Surveillance footage reportedly showed a man pouring a flammable liquid over the altar and setting it alight. The fire was extinguished before it could spread further, but it caused visible damage to the structure. Vatican News
A 31-year-old Polish citizen was arrested later on Tuesday near the village of Cerno, in the Ljubuški area. Police from the Herzegovina-Neretva and West Herzegovina cantons cooperated in the search, which was also supported by information from local residents.
The suspect has been transferred to the authorities and is expected to be questioned by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the latest information, investigators are considering three possible criminal offences: inciting national, racial or religious hatred, damaging or destroying religious buildings, and causing a general danger. The prosecutor will decide whether to request pretrial detention and what further steps should be taken. Hercegovina.info
The motive remains under investigation. Bosnian authorities have not officially released the suspect’s full identity, although his name has appeared in several regional media reports.
The Medjugorje Parish Office responded by condemning the attacks while appealing for calm. It called on the faithful to react with “prayer, fasting, and forgiveness” and urged them “not to return evil for evil.” The parish also announced that the shrine would remain open and that its regular programme of Masses and prayers would continue. Medjugorje Parish Office
Restoration work began immediately after police completed their examination of the affected sites. Members of the Cenacolo community and local volunteers spent hours removing paint from the main statue on Apparition Hill. The outdoor altar was cleaned and returned to use later the same day, allowing Mass to be celebrated there again. Pilgrims continued to gather for prayer despite the damage. Hercegovina.info
The Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina described the incidents as an insult to Catholics and an attack on religious freedom, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. It stressed that sacred sites belonging to every religious community must be respected and protected.
Medjugorje has attracted millions of pilgrims since 1981, when six young people said they had witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary. In September 2024, the Vatican issued a nihil obstat concerning the spiritual experience connected with Medjugorje. The decision recognised the positive spiritual fruits associated with the shrine and permitted public devotion, but did not formally confirm the supernatural authenticity of the alleged apparitions.
The attack took place only days before Medjugorje’s annual International Youth Festival, which traditionally brings tens of thousands of young Catholics from around the world to the Bosnian town. Organisers have indicated that the programme will go ahead as planned.
