Vandal targets statues in Roman basilicas
October 03, 2016
An immigrant from Ghana damaged statues in four different churches of Rome during a destructive spree that began on Friday evening, October 1, and ended only with his arrest on Saturday morning.
The 39-year-old man first attacked the basilica of Santa Prassed, located just a block from St. Mary Major, where he destroyed a statue of the church’s patron saint and had targeted a crucifix before he was driven out by visitors. Then he went to the basilica of San Silvestro, to hack at a statue in the nave.
On Saturday morning, the same man damaged three more statues in the church of San Vitale and moved on to the church of San Giovanni dei Fiorenini before he was finally apprehended by police.
A priest stationed at one of the damaged churches said that the man was “crazy” and “yelled incoherent phrases” during his rampage.
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