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2w ago

Suspect Arrested After Vandalism and Small Arson at Medjugorje Shrine

The arrest opens a police probe into motive and links among the attacks at a major pilgrimage site.

Pilgrims pray next to the vandalized statue of the Virgin Mary, which has been covered with a white sheet, on Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo)
An aerial view of pilgrims praying next to the vandalized statue of the Virgin Mary, which has been covered with a white sheet, on Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo)
Volunteers clean the vandalized statue of the Virgin Mary, which has been covered with a white sheet, on Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo)
Volunteers clean the vandalized statue of the Virgin Mary, which has been covered with a white sheet, on Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo)

Overview

  • Overnight vandalism damaged statues and an outdoor altar at Medjugorje, with local media and police reporting black paint on a statue of the Virgin Mary and the words “Devil in a skirt.”
  • Security camera footage published by local outlets showed a man pouring a flammable liquid and igniting the outdoor altar at St. James Church, and firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
  • Police arrested a man in the Ljubuški area in connection with the incidents, but authorities have not released his identity or confirmed foreign media reports naming him.
  • The Medjugorje parish began cleanup and repairs, urged prayer, fasting and forgiveness, kept the shrine open, and organizers said the upcoming youth festival is expected to go ahead.
  • Medjugorje draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims since reported 1981 apparitions and received Vatican approval for public devotion in 2024, so investigators and local leaders say the outcome could affect security and communal tensions during the festival.