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Catholic cemetery desecrated in Holy Land

Vandals smashed, overturned wooden, concrete crosses
Catholic cemetery desecrated in Holy Land
Published: January 11, 2016 10:05 AM GMT
Updated: January 11, 2016 10:05 AM GMT

A Salesian cemetery in the Holy Land has been desecrated, the Latin Patriarchate in the Holy Land said on Jan. 9.

Vandals broke into the cemetery, located 500 meters from the Salesian Convent of Beit Gemal, smashing and overturning several wooden and concrete crosses. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, the patriarchate's media office said.

According to a statement issued by the Salesians, a similar act of vandalism occurred in 1981, where strangers smashed 30 wooden crosses.

In March 2014, vandals targeted the monastery of Deir Rafat, where the sanctuary of Our Lady of Palestine is found, near Beit Shemesh. Anti-Christian and anti-American graffiti were discovered on the walls of the monastery.

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