Theft at religious sites reaches record levels

A dramatic rise in thefts at religious sites was recorded in 2023, according to a study conducted by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports.

The study, which tracks incidents targeting religious sites in Greece since 2015, estimates that nearly 4,000 cases of damage, theft, or vandalism have occurred at Orthodox churches over the past nine years.

In 2023 alone, a record 591 incidents involving Orthodox churches were reported, surpassing the 564 cases recorded in 2022.

Incidents targeting places of worship of other religions remain relatively rare, with Jewish sites ranking second with 65 incidents over the past nine years.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church in Greece, which oversees 233 places of worship, has reported no incidents of theft, vandalism, or damage since 2020.

The study shows that a total of 608 incidents targeting religious sites of all denominations were documented in Greece in 2023. These incidents included a range of offenses such as vandalism, break-ins, theft, robbery, sacrilege, desecration of graves, and arson.

Regarding the Orthodox Church, most of the incidents involved burglaries and the theft of money, religious artifacts, and valuables. However, some thefts appeared to be more organized, with perpetrators targeting larger, more valuable items such as copper baptismal fonts, air conditioners, wooden fittings, and bells.

Notably, 20 church bells were stolen from Orthodox churches within a single year, pointing to a highly organized effort.

Among the stolen items were two 800-kilogram bells taken from the Profitis Ilias Church in Acharnes (Menidi), northwest of Athens, and a 200-kilogram bell stolen from the Agios Georgios Church in the Pieria region of northern Greece.

Kathimerini