A 31-year-old Polish national from Warsaw was arrested in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday after allegedly pouring flammable liquid on an exterior altar behind Saint James Church in Medjugorje and setting it on fire, according to police reports.
The suspect was taken into custody around 1:00 pm local time in the village of Cerno near Ljubuski, in the West Herzegovina Canton. The fire on the altar was reported at 5:00 am, while police received a separate report at 4:30 am about damage to a statue.
In a series of vandalism acts on July 27, the statue of the Virgin Mary on Podbrdo (Apparition Hill) was defaced with black paint on its face and hands. The pedestal was spray-painted with the English phrase 'Devil in a skirt', along with other graffiti including 'Medjugorje is a deception', 'Our Lady equals devil', and 'Jesus only'. The word 'Devil' was also sprayed in multiple spots. At the Blue Cross, the word 'zlo' (evil) was written on the stone base.
To su prevaranti, imam dokaz
The suspect is suspected of desecrating the main statue of the Virgin Mary and another smaller statue, setting fire to the outdoor altar, and writing messages in Polish and English against Medjugorje, the Virgin Mary, and the visionaries. The exact extent of material damage to the altar has not been officially confirmed.
The suspect is charged under Article 145b of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which criminalizes damaging or demolishing religious objects and carries a penalty of six months to five years imprisonment. The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina is taking over the case and will request custody for the suspect.
Medjugorje, located about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Sarajevo, has been a pilgrimage site since 1981, when six visionaries claimed to have witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary. The Vatican has given approval for devotion at Medjugorje.
Mostar-Duvno bishop and apostolic administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan mons. Petar Palić stated that nothing justifies hatred, violence, or desecration of prayer sites, and called for prayer and forgiveness. Former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor commented that the quick arrest would extinguish the fire of hatred that political parasites intended to exploit.