“an affront to the whole Christian community” according to the bishop

The Saint-Etienne church in Tonnay-Charente was desecrated on Saturday evening. The bishopric of La Rochelle denounces “the deliberate desire to undermine the integrity of the consecrated hosts”.

The Saint-Etienne church in Tonnay-Charente was desecrated this Saturday evening. According to the Bishopric of La Rochelle, the cross of Christ was overthrown, the tabernacle was fractured, the hosts were scattered on the ground, the lunula containing a host for adoration was stolen.

Monsignor Georges Colomb, Bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes, denounces with the greatest vigor the violence of such aggression, “expression of hatred against Christ and his Church, manifestation of violence, cowardice and stupidity”.

This abject desecration is a wound and a painful humiliation for all Catholics in the diocese,
Monsignor Georges Colomb, Bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes.

The bishop of La Rochelle underlined that it was not the first time that a desecration of a place in Charente-Maritime.
“We have been witnessing this for a few years, our churches are beautiful, they are open for Christians”, explained Monsignor Georges Colomb.

The parishioners are shocked, for the whole Christian community, it is an affront, it is worse than theft because there is an attack on the Blessed Sacrament, it is the presence of the Lord,
Monsignor Georges Colomb, Bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes.

A mass of reparation will be requested on Thursday November 14 at 6 p.m. in the church of Tonnay-Charente.


The mayor of the commune also announced that he was going to file a complaint because “objects registered under the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs have been damaged.



Eric Authiat, the mayor of the town, also posted images of the acts of vandalism on his Facebook page.

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