Orthodox church desecrated in Haifa

In Israeli Haifa, Satanists have desecrated St. Eliyah’s Orthodox Church, reports HaifaRu.co.il.

Unidentified criminals inscribed satan symbols with black and silver paint on the wall of St. Eliyah’s Church. The church rector Archpriest Miroslav called these actions "barbarism at the lowest level". Such an act of vandalism, he said, last happened in 2002. Judging by inscriptions and signs, it was the satanists who desecrated the church.

Father Miroslav said that relations with residents of nearby houses have always been good-neighbourly. Jewish neighbours even asked to replace the planned stone fence with an iron fence, through which one can see the temple. After the incident, the fence is likely to be made higher.

There is an abandoned synagogue nearby, and the satanists paid attention to it long ago. On April 18, policemen and representatives of the Russian diplomatic mission were summoned to the temple.

As expected, law enforcement officers will visit the territory of the church and register illegal actions of vandals in presence of Russia's General Consulate official in Haifa.

The church has a status of the representation and is situated at the land lot of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission on Mount Carmel. It was built in 1913.

The same incident took place here in May 2002, when inverted crosses, five-pointed stars and the inscription in English "Satan was here" were made on the church walls.

In 2013-2016, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, was desecrated several times. The church was set on fire, inscriptions insulting Christians were put on its walls.