The Shrine of Our Lady in Medjugorje, one of the world's most famous Catholic pilgrimage sites, has been vandalized and partially set on fire, with a statue of the Virgin Mary defaced and the words "Devil in a skirt" scrawled across its pedestal.
A man has been arrested by Bosnian police in connection with the overnight vandalism and arson, which occurred on July 27. The suspect's identity has not been released as investigators work to determine a motive and whether he was responsible for other incidents at the shrine that same night.
The vandalism was discovered at around 4:30 a.m. when the face and hands of the statue of the Virgin Mary on Apparition Hill, also known as Podbrdo, were found covered in black paint. The pedestal at the foot of the statue was spray-painted with the English phrase "Devil in a skirt," while other graffiti and the statue's hands were painted black.
An outdoor altar nearby was also set on fire near St. James Church. Surveillance footage reportedly showed a man pouring what investigators believe was gasoline onto the altar before setting it ablaze. The fire was quickly extinguished.
The two attacks came just days before Medjugorje's annual youth prayer festival, which is expected to draw more than 50,000 pilgrims from around the world. In response, the Medjugorje Parish Office condemned the vandalism and urged Catholics to respond with "prayer, fasting, and forgiveness" rather than anger.
Church officials also praised the volunteers who are helping to preserve the shrine as "a place of encounter with God, a place of peace." They thanked the volunteers for their efforts to restore the affected areas and restore the shrine to its former beauty.
The parish office also appealed for peace, encouraging Catholics "not to return evil for evil," but instead to bear witness through "love, forgiveness and hope." Despite the attack, the shrine remains open, and its regular schedule of Mass and prayer services will continue as planned.
Medjugorje has become one of the world's best-known Catholic pilgrimage destinations after six children reported seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary there in 1981. The Vatican has given its approval for Catholics to continue flocking to Medjugorje, offering its approval for devotion at one of the most contested sites of Roman Catholic practice in recent years.
The shrine's regular schedule of Mass and prayer services will continue as planned, with the parish office thanking pilgrims for their understanding and cooperation during this time.
The authorities are working to determine a motive behind the vandalism and arson, and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
The parish office is offering prayers for the conversion of the hearts of those responsible for the vandalism, and is asking God to "touch them with His grace and lead them on the path of goodness."
