A man is in custody following an anti-Catholic act of vandalism at Medjugorje, a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been a place of Catholic pilgrimage since the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared on Apparition Hill in 1981. Video shows the man setting fire around the altar.
MEDJUGORJE
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) July 28, 2026
Footage of last night's anti Catholic terrorist attack in Medjugorje
In this clip you can see the altar being SET ON FIRE by the terrorist who also covered the area in black paint on statues and anti Catholic graffiti pic.twitter.com/P5ogY8ORbo
The suspect also sprayed black spray paint on several statues, including one of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The graffiti read "Devil in a skirt" and "1242."
The terrorist in Medjugorje wrote '1242' along with some anti Marian slogans on the statue
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) July 28, 2026
What meaning could 1242 have? pic.twitter.com/md86YBse9z
Authorities in Bosnia on Tuesday investigated the desecration of a Virgin Mary statue and a shrine damaged by fire overnight in a southern Bosnian village, a popular destination for Roman Catholic pilgrims.
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The pictures from the site in local media showed the statue of Our Lady had her face and hands painted black, with an inscription in English on the pedestal that read “Devil in a skirt.”
In 1981, six children and teenagers reported seeing visions of the Madonna on a hill in Medjugorje, located in the wine-making region of southern Bosnia. Some of those original “seers” have claimed the visions have occurred regularly since then, even daily, and that Mary sends them messages.
Near the site, a banner was found displayed on a fence with the names of the seers and a message written in Polish that said: “They are fraudsters, I have proof.”
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It's possible the "1242" could refer to a paragraph number in the diary of St. Faustina, which is a Christ-centered passage that focuses on Christ's mercy. St. Faustina was Polish, and the number's approximation to the Polish-language banner might be a clue.
It also appears the suspect is Polish.
The perpetrator has thankfully been arrested. It's a Polish dude:https://t.co/p5SO1qQeH3
— Firebird (@Askcake1) July 28, 2026
According to Polish media, the suspect has been identified as Krakowiak Bartlomiej Wlodzimierz. He reportedly visited the site in 2017 and, at the time, he spoke with media about how he was diagnosed with depression and told to seek help through faith.
BREAKING: Suspect reportedly arrested in connection with anti-Catholic vandalism of Medjugorje pilgrimage sites.https://t.co/WbC80YT9uh pic.twitter.com/pptLdhkNlT
— Sign of the Cross (@CatholicSOTC) July 28, 2026
Clean up has already begun.
In record time, the images that were vandalized in the middle of the night in Medjugorje were restored by locals. Let's pray for the conversion of the vandals and for peace in the world.
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) July 28, 2026
These acts of vandalism didn't stop several pilgrims from arriving to Apparition Hill and… pic.twitter.com/XtkZSp22XQ
Two years ago, the Vatican gave approval for Catholics to continue flocking to Medjugorje, where six children and teenagers reported seeing visions of the Virgin Mary on a hill in the area. There has been some controversy over the site, with contradictions in the messages the alleged visionaries have received over the years.
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