France hit hardest in attacks on Catholic churches
November 20, 2024
» Continue to this story on Pillar
CWN Editor's Note: Nearly 1,500 Catholic churches in France have been damaged by vandalism since the year 2000, and 396 have been desecrated, the French bishops’ conference reports.
The report also shows that nearly 1,700 Catholic churches in France are now closed—for reasons ranging from safety problems to a lack of parishioners. Some 149 churches have been demolished since 2000. Only 16 churches are currently under construction.
The bishops’ conference had undertaken an inventory of the country’s churches, in response to a request for an overview of their condition. Under the strict French policy of secularism, church buildings are regarded as the property of the government and part of the nation’s cultural patrimony.
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
