Pole from Kraków arrested for vandalising statue of the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje
Bosnian police detained a Polish citizen at the border with Croatia following acts of vandalism at the sanctuary in Medjugorje. Graffiti and traces of black paint appeared on the statue of the Virgin Mary.
Pole arrested following devastation in Medjugorje
According to wiadomosci.wp.pl, Bosnian police detained a Polish citizen from Kraków suspected of destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary and setting fire near an outdoor altar of a church in Medjugorje. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning.
The suspect was intercepted near the border with Croatia. The Ministry of Interior of the Herzegovina-Neretva canton confirmed that the detention took place shortly after the man crossed that territory. Following the act of vandalism, he left with a backpack in the direction of Croatia. Police acted on the basis of surveillance footage and other evidence collected.
On the statue of the Virgin Mary, the perpetrator painted black graffiti reading "Devil in a skirt" — in both English and Polish. Fire was set near the outdoor altar, which prompted an immediate response from church and uniformed services. The authorities did not officially disclose the detainee's personal details, but local media connected him to the incident.
In the vicinity of the sanctuary, a banner was also noticed with the names of people associated with the apparitions in Medjugorje — Ivanka, Mirjana, Milka, Vicka, Ivana and Jakov — accompanied by the inscription: "they are fraudsters, I have evidence". Bosnian media published photographs from surveillance footage of a petrol station in Ljubuški, where the suspect was reportedly visible shortly after the incident.
Medjugorje is a recognised Catholic pilgrimage site in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In September 2024, the Vatican approved the official cult and pilgrimages to this locality, although the Holy See did not issue a ruling on the supernatural character of the apparitions themselves.
Source: Google News PL