A video showing a man posing with a stolen statue of Jesus Christ before smashing it on the pavement has gone viral, prompting outrage after footage from a church's security cameras was shared widely online. The incident took place in Vilnius, Lithuania, and although it may have looked like a drunken prank to those involved, it has left the local community and congregation saddened and angered, and without a statue around which to gather for prayer.
The footage shows two men outside the Shrine of Divine Mercy on Dominikonų Street in Vilnius Old Town. One sits on a bench while the other approaches holding the statue, which had been removed from a wooden cross in the church's courtyard, and appears to show off the figure while his companion takes photographs. As he handles it, the statue's arms break off and the rest crashes onto the pavement and shatters. The man exclaims 'Oh my God!' before both men leave the scene. The CCTV footage was shared by the church's vice-rector, Elijas Anatolijus Markauskas, and spread rapidly across social media, drawing criticism particularly from people who regarded the destruction of the religious figure as an insult to the local Christian community.S1S2
The incident was especially upsetting because the sculpture was displayed on a cross in the sanctuary's courtyard, a place used by worshippers for prayer. Markauskas said he had spent hours reviewing the security recordings and did not believe the act was necessarily motivated by hostility towards Christianity. He suggested the men may have been drinking before arriving and believed the statue was broken accidentally rather than as part of a planned religious attack. He also said he was willing to meet the man responsible, wanting to see him in person rather than simply condemn him from a distance.S1S2
Lithuanian police initially appealed for information to identify the men after the footage circulated online, examining security recordings and asking residents and businesses in the Old Town for help. On Saturday, November 14, police announced they had identified a suspect, who was questioned and formally notified that he was suspected of involvement in the incident. A pre-trial investigation has been launched.S1S2
