Unknown individuals vandalize Church of Our Lady in Ajaltoun, stealing valuable items

BEIRUT — Unknown individuals vandalized the Church of Our Lady in Ajaltoun (Kesrouan), likely on Sunday night, stealing valuable items from inside, the priest of the church, Freiha Akiki, told L'Orient Today on Monday.

The priest told our publication that the "assailants stole valuable ecclesiastical heritage items." Akiki and others from the village headed to the police station on Monday to present their testimonies.

Asked about additional information, the mukhtara of Ajaltoun, Jacqueline al-Hourani, said that the only confirmed information so far is that vandalism and theft took place at the church, noting that the residents are now waiting for the results of the investigation.

This incident took place just one day after unknown individuals stormed and vandalized the Church of Mar Shalita in Wadi al-Halslaban, on the outskirts of the village of Qobeiyat in Akkar, with several statues of saints smashed and some items set on fire.

This kind of incident is not rare in Lebanon. Religious statues are sometimes vandalized in different regions of the country, arousing the emotions of the faithful.