An incident that has sparked reactions in Vilnius was recorded near the Church of Divine Mercy, where two people suspected of being tourists took a statue of Jesus Christ from where it had been placed and destroyed it in the middle of the street. Security camera footage captured the entire episode.
Footage captures the moment of the damage
In the security videos, two people can be seen laughing while one of them holds the gold-colored statue and poses for photos. He then lifts the figure by its arms, but parts of it break off and the statue falls to the ground, where it shatters.
Moments after it falls, the person who was holding it is heard reacting in surprise before running away. The other person also leaves the scene, while later a vehicle drives over the pieces of the broken statue.
The incident near a church in the Old Town
According to reports, the episode took place during the night between November 11 and 12, near the Church of Divine Mercy in Vilnius Old Town. The statue was located on a wooden cross inside the church courtyard.
The location and the manner of the damage have turned the incident into an issue that has affected not only public order, but also religious sensitivities in the area.
The identity of the perpetrators remains unconfirmed
According to British media, the two people are suspected to be British nationals, but their identity and nationality have not been officially confirmed. Reports also said that one of them appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
This is precisely where the main questions remain: who the perpetrators are, how the statue was taken from the church courtyard, and under what circumstances the entire episode occurred.
Public appeal and police investigation
After the incident, priest Elijas Anatolijus Markauskas made a public appeal on social media for the identification of those responsible, expressing pain over the damage to the religious figure.
Meanwhile, Vilnius police have confirmed the launch of a preliminary investigation. According to the official version, the value of the damage is still being assessed.
The incident has prompted reactions because of its offensive nature and the damage to a religious object in a historic area of the Lithuanian capital.
So far, authorities have not made public the identity of the people involved.