Hundreds pray after Virgin Mary statue desecrated in French Island of Corsica

About 500 people gathered to pray in Corsica, a Mediterranean French island, on Oct. 1 after a statue of the Virgin Mary was torn from its pedestal and damaged during an obscene incident allegedly filmed and shared on social media.

The statue was found on the ground beneath a stone arch at a traffic circle near the southern entrance to the town of Porto-Vecchio. The statue belonged to the local parish, which filed a complaint along with the city, ICI RCFM reported.

Two seasonal hospitality workers, ages 21 and 24, were detained later that morning. According to a statement from the Ajaccio prosecutor’s office reported by Corsican radio station Alta Frequenza, video footage showed one man hanging from the statue, miming a sexual act, and making lewd remarks while the other filmed.

The men are being prosecuted for jointly committing aggravated damage to the statue, to the detriment of the parish and the municipality, and for indecent exposure, Le Figaro reported. They remain presumed innocent and are due to appear before the Ajaccio Criminal Court on Nov. 16.

A court placed them under judicial supervision, ordered them not to return to Corsica, and required them to report regularly to police in their home departments. After an initial attempt to leave was disrupted, both men departed the island by air on Oct. 4, France 3 reported.

Prayer follows anger

Earlier on Oct. 1, more than 100 people gathered outside the gendarmerie following an appeal on social media. At 5:30 p.m., the parish called the community to pray at the traffic circle, drawing elected officials, families, young people, and firefighters in uniform, according to ICI RCFM.

Father Thibault Lambert, pastor of the Porto-Vecchio parish, said his anger and sadness had given way to “joy mixed with pride” at seeing residents united in their attachment to the Virgin Mary, the Church, and their heritage.

The Catholic Church in Corsica expressed support for the parish and said: “We pray for the conversion of those who damaged the image of Mary.” It urged the community to recover “a path of serenity and peace” through the rosary on the first day of the month traditionally dedicated to the devotion, according to a diocesan statement.

Porto-Vecchio Mayor Jean-Christophe Angelini condemned what he called an “unspeakable act” and pledged to replace the statue as soon as possible, France 3 reported.

The Corsican Assembly unanimously adopted a motion condemning the “profanation and destruction” of the statue and expressing support for the parish, Porto-Vecchio residents, and the Catholic community.

Assembly President Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis said the attack had offended part of Corsica’s common heritage and collective identity. In remarks to the Corsican Assembly, she also appealed for restraint, saying respect for what others hold sacred must be matched by responsibility and measure.

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated, adapted, and updated by EWTN News English.