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A message in Polish, six names and a mysterious number:
Croatia🏛️ PoliticsCenter3 hr. ago

A message in Polish, six names and a mysterious number:

On July 28, 2026, vandalism occurred at three significant religious sites in Medjugorje during the night of July 27–28. The perpetrators damaged statues of the Virgin Mary at the Brdo Ukazanja (Podbrdo) and the Plav Kriz, covering their faces, chests, and clothing with black paint. Additionally, they set fire to the recently restored exterior altar at the Church of St. James, which was extinguished by emergency services. Written messages and posters were left at the sites, including a message in English reading 'DEVIL IN A SKIRT' and another in Polish accusing local visionaries of being 'deceivers.' One poster lists names of six individuals associated with the Medjugorje phenomenon and includes a date '14. 10. 17.' and unclear initials. The event coincides with the annual Mladifest festival, which attracts thousands of young people. The police have conducted investigations but have not yet confirmed the identity or number of the perpetrators. Unofficial speculation suggests a foreign national with psychological issues might be involved, though this remains unverified. Some media outlets reported that the suspect may have been detained.

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6 reports

Jutarnji list logoJutarnji listIndependentCenter3 hr. ago
This is a profound insult to the faithful.

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman strongly condemned the vandalism of the Virgin Mary statue and the burning of the altar at the Church of St. James in Međugorje. He described the acts as a 'deep insult to believers' and emphasized that Međugorje remains a place of peace, prayer, and hope stronger than any act of hatred. The perpetrator, identified as unknown, defaced the religious statue on Podbrdo and set fire to the church’s external altar.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the minister's strong condemnation of the vandalism without overtly promoting a specific ideological stance. While the language used by the minister is emotionally charged ('deep insult,' 'act of hatred'), the framing remains focused on the event itself rather than advancing a政治

Telegram.hr logoTelegram.hrIndependentConservative3 hr. ago
Grlić Radman strongly condemned the vandalism in Medjugorje: It is a deep insult to the faithful and all people of good will

Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, strongly condemned an act of vandalism in Medjugorje, where an unknown individual defaced the statue of the Virgin Mary and set fire to an altar at St. James Church. In a Facebook post, Radman called the incident a 'deep insult to believers and all people of good will,' emphasizing that Medjugorje has been, is, and will remain a place of peace, prayer, and hope. The vandalism occurred at the site associated with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, which holds significant religious importance for many Catholics.

Bias read (Conservative): The article presents strong condemnation of the vandalism by a high-ranking official, using emotionally charged language such as 'deep insult' and emphasizing the spiritual significance of Medjugorje. This framing aligns with conservative values and religious sentiment, suggesting a right-leaning sl

tportal logotportalIndependentCenter3 hr. ago
Radman's collar has been reported for vandalism in Medjugorje.

Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, strongly condemned an act of vandalism in Medjugorje, where a statue of the Virgin Mary was defaced and an altar at St. James Church was set on fire. He described the incident as a deep insult to believers and people of good will, emphasizing that Medjugorje remains a place of peace, prayer, and hope. The perpetrator has not been identified, and members of the Cenacolo community are working to clean the damaged statue.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a straightforward report of a minister's condemnation of a religious vandalism incident. There is no evident ideological framing, loaded language, or one-sided sourcing. It simply relays the minister's statement and provides basic contextual information about the event.

tportal logotportalIndependentCenter3 hr. ago
These are the first photos after the vandalism in Medjugorje: The restoration of the desecrated statue of Our Lady has begun

The first photographs of the damaged statue of Our Lady (Gospa) on Mount Štivić in Medjugorje have been released after an act of vandalism. The perpetrator left the message 'Devil in a skirt' on the statue during the night, along with nearby banners displaying messages such as 'Medjugorje is a fraud,' 'Our Lady = devil,' and 'Only Jesus.' The area around the Blue Cross, another symbol of Medjugorje, was also defaced with black paint and the word 'Evil' written on a stone plaque. Additionally, an outdoor altar behind the parish church of Saint James in Medjugorje was set on fire early in the morning. Surveillance footage indicates the culprit is an unknown man, and authorities are investigating. A banner at the scene included names associated with the Medjugorje apparitions and claimed to have evidence, with the date October 14, 2017, and unclear initials or a signature. Some speculate the perpetrator could be Polish due to the banner being in Polish, but police have not confirmed this yet.

Bias read (Center): The article reports on an act of vandalism targeting religious symbols in Medjugorje, which has significant cultural and spiritual importance in Croatia. While the incident involves potentially controversial claims about the authenticity of the Medjugorje apparitions, the article presents the event,

Večernji list logoVečernji listIndependentCenter3 hr. ago
Dejan Lovren sharply commented on the vandalism in Medjugorje: 'Sacred places are not touched!'

Former Croatian football international Dejan Lovren strongly condemned a vandalism incident at the apparition site of Medjugorje, where an unknown perpetrator defaced the statue of the Virgin Mary and set fire to an external altar during the night of July 27–28, 2026. Lovren expressed his outrage on his Instagram profile, emphasizing that sacred places should not be disturbed and urging people to pray for those responsible while calling for unity and non-violence. The incident has sparked emotional reactions among pilgrims who gathered at the site, many of whom knelt in prayer before the damaged statue. Authorities are investigating the attack, which also included graffiti and messages left by the perpetrators.

Bias read (Center): The article presents Dejan Lovren’s personal condemnation of the vandalism without overtly favoring any political side. It focuses on the religious significance of the event and includes reactions from pilgrims and authorities, maintaining a balanced tone.

Večernji list logoVečernji listIndependentCenter4 hr. ago
A message in Polish, six names and a mysterious number:

On July 28, 2026, vandalism occurred at three significant religious sites in Medjugorje during the night of July 27–28. The perpetrators damaged statues of the Virgin Mary at the Brdo Ukazanja (Podbrdo) and the Plav Kriz, covering their faces, chests, and clothing with black paint. Additionally, they set fire to the recently restored exterior altar at the Church of St. James, which was extinguished by emergency services. Written messages and posters were left at the sites, including a message in English reading 'DEVIL IN A SKIRT' and another in Polish accusing local visionaries of being 'deceivers.' One poster lists names of six individuals associated with the Medjugorje phenomenon and includes a date '14. 10. 17.' and unclear initials. The event coincides with the annual Mladifest festival, which attracts thousands of young people. The police have conducted investigations but have not yet confirmed the identity or number of the perpetrators. Unofficial speculation suggests a foreign national with psychological issues might be involved, though this remains unverified. Some media outlets reported that the suspect may have been detained.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual account of a religious vandalism incident without overt ideological slant. While the event involves religious figures and has implications for the reputation of the Medjugorje pilgrimage site, the reporting does not take a clear stance on the political or religious 's'

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