American Tourist Desecrates Statue of Jesus in the Holy Land among a Series of Attacks of Christians - VIDEO
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According to several new agencies and the religious order that cares for the Holy Land a statue of Jesus was desecrated on February 2nd, 2023. AP and Haaretz explain that an American Tourist damaged the statue. In the statement (See Full Text below the video) from the Custody of the Holy Land they refer to the tourist as a radical Jew. This is the 5th attack against Christians in the Holy Land in recent weeks according to the statement. The incident was caught on video and posted by a priest from the archdiocese of Mexico, named Fr. José Valdés:
Statement of the Custody of the Holy Land following the vandalism of Thursday 2 February 2023
02 February 2023
Today at 8:30 in the morning, a radical Jew entered the Church of the Flagellation, which is the first stop on the Via Dolorosa, in the Old City of Jerusalem. The man tore down the statue of Jesus and defaced the face of the statue. After he was immobilised by the shrine’s door keeper, the police arrived and arrested him.
This is the fifth incident that has occurred in recent weeks. Just last week, some tourists were attacked by a group of religious Jews who entered the New Gate. They committed acts of vandalism at the New Gate, near the headquarters of the Custody of the Holy Land, throwing chairs, tables and glasses and transforming the Christian quarter into a battlefield.
About two weeks ago, a Christian cemetery in Jerusalem was vandalized. Also "Death to Christians" graffiti was written on the walls of a monastery in the Armenian quarter and premises used as a church in the Maronite center of Ma'alot were vandalized.
02 February 2023
Today at 8:30 in the morning, a radical Jew entered the Church of the Flagellation, which is the first stop on the Via Dolorosa, in the Old City of Jerusalem. The man tore down the statue of Jesus and defaced the face of the statue. After he was immobilised by the shrine’s door keeper, the police arrived and arrested him.
This is the fifth incident that has occurred in recent weeks. Just last week, some tourists were attacked by a group of religious Jews who entered the New Gate. They committed acts of vandalism at the New Gate, near the headquarters of the Custody of the Holy Land, throwing chairs, tables and glasses and transforming the Christian quarter into a battlefield.
About two weeks ago, a Christian cemetery in Jerusalem was vandalized. Also "Death to Christians" graffiti was written on the walls of a monastery in the Armenian quarter and premises used as a church in the Maronite center of Ma'alot were vandalized.
We follow with concern and strongly condemn this growing succession of serious acts of hatred and violence against the Christian community in Israel. It is no coincidence that the legitimization of discrimination and violence in public opinion and in the current Israeli political environment also translates into acts of hatred and violence against the Christian community.
We expect and demand that the Israeli government and law enforcement agencies act decisively to guarantee security for all communities, to guarantee the protection of religious minorities and to eradicate religious fanaticism. We specifically refer to these serious incidents of intolerance, crimes of hatred, and vandalism directed against Christians in Israel.
Fr. Francesco PATTON, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land
Fr. Alberto Joan PARI, OFM, Secretary of the Holy Land
We expect and demand that the Israeli government and law enforcement agencies act decisively to guarantee security for all communities, to guarantee the protection of religious minorities and to eradicate religious fanaticism. We specifically refer to these serious incidents of intolerance, crimes of hatred, and vandalism directed against Christians in Israel.
Fr. Francesco PATTON, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land
Fr. Alberto Joan PARI, OFM, Secretary of the Holy Land
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