Two tabernacles and a relic desecrated at a Madrid parish
Intruders broke into the parish of Santa Margarita María Alacoque in Madrid's Latina district overnight from July 31 to August 1, opening both tabernacles and taking the money in the offering boxes. A relic of the saint was found scattered on the floor
The parish of Santa Margarita María Alacoque in the Latina district of Madrid was desecrated overnight from July 31 to August 1. Both of its tabernacles were opened and the offerings taken. The church is known for its social work through Caritas and for the job-search courses it runs for people in the neighborhood, and it has been caught up in a climate of violence and vandalism that has intensified in recent months.
The intruders got in through the Caritas premises, where the security gate was torn off its hinges and the main door forced open, damaging the wall supporting it. Inside the church they broke open six interior doors and several locked cabinets, including the doors into the church and the sacristy. They also deliberately opened the two tabernacles, one used for the Eucharist and one holding the relic of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
No Masses are celebrated at the parish during August, so the reserved Blessed Sacrament had been removed as a precaution, which prevented a more serious eucharistic desecration. The relic of the saint, who was born in Burgundy in 1647 and canonized by Benedict XV in 1920, was found scattered on the floor. The church and the sacristy were left in disarray, with liturgical and devotional objects scattered about. The intruders took the small amount of money in the offering boxes, along with tools and paint that had recently been used to improve the appearance of the church.
Escalating attacks on the church
The break-in was not an isolated incident. In recent months the parish has been the target of repeated vandalism. Earlier incidents included stones thrown at the building, damage to exterior doors and insults aimed at the church during liturgical celebrations. The attacks have grown more serious.
Since the start of the year there have been two further incidents. On one occasion the parish bathrooms were found full of excrement. On another, a bathroom door was broken open, indicating that someone had entered the premises intending to cause damage, presumably during a Mass or while painting and maintenance work was under way.
Tensions in the neighborhood
The insecurity in the area goes beyond the attacks on the church. The neighborhood has seen sharp conflicts between families, which have led to hate crime complaints being filed at the district police station.
