Siniscola church vandalized in sacrilegious raid

The historic rural church of Sant’Elena Imperatrice, located in the Cuccuru ’e Janas area near Siniscola, Sardinia, has been severely vandalized in a sacrilegious raid. The damage was discovered by the judicial custodian, Claudio Marceddu, while the building was under precautionary seizure by the Court of Nuoro due to a long-standing property dispute.

Vandals entered the sanctuary, destroying sacred furnishings and looting various liturgical objects. The historic wooden statue of Saint Helen was decapitated and had its hands severed. Additionally, the interior walls and the altar were defaced with paint featuring satanic symbols and inscriptions.

Local law enforcement has launched an investigation into the incident, which involves charges of aggravated damage and offenses against religious sentiments. The site, which has been a center for local devotion for over a century, is currently at the center of a multi-billion euro civil dispute between the heirs of the Pusceddu family and the municipality.