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Anti-Catholic Vandal Strikes Catholic Holy Site of Medjugorje

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  July 28, 2026 1:30 PM

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.

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."

Here's more:

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.”

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.

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.

Clean up has already begun.

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.