Virgin Mary statue defaced and set on fire at world-famous Catholic pilgrimage site: Devil in a skirt

A man has been arrested after one of the world’s most famous Catholic pilgrimage sites was vandalized and partially set on fire, with a statue of the Virgin Mary defaced and the words “Devil in a skirt” scrawled across its pedestal in black, according to reports.Bosnian police arrested a suspect Tuesday in connection with the overnight vandalism and arson at the Shrine of Our Lady in Medjugorje, according to Vatican News.Authorities have not released the man’s identity as investigators work to determine a motive and whether he was responsible for other incidents reported at the shrine that same night, the outlet said.Police were called around 4:30 a.m.on July 27 after the face and hands of the statue of the Virgin Mary on Apparition Hill, also known as Podbrdo, were found covered in black paint.The pedestal at the foot of the statue was spray-painted with the English phrase “Devil in a skirt,” while other graffiti and the statue’s hands were painted black.An outdoor altar nearby was also set on fire near St.

James Church, the outlet said.Surveillance footage reportedly at that location showed a man pouring what investigators believe was gasoline onto the altar before setting it ablaze.The fire was extinguished.The two attacks came just days before Medjugorje’s annual youth prayer festival, which is expected to draw more than 50,000 pilgrims from around the world.In a statement Tuesday, the Medjugorje Parish Office condemned the vandalism and urged Catholics to respond with “prayer, fasting, and forgiveness” rather than anger.“It is with great sadness that we received the news of the act of vandalism,” the parish said.Church officials also said cleanup and repairs began immediately so the damaged prayer sites could once again welcome pilgrims.“The affected areas are being cleaned and restored as quickly as possible,” the parish said, thanking volunteers for helping preserve the shrine as “a place of encounter with God, a place ...