In the commune of Sainte-Anne-d’Auray in the department of Morbihan, a statue of the Virgin Mary (photo above) was found knocked over on the altar of the Scala Santa while it was standing on its pedestal in the church. Was it an accident or a malicious act? The statue was found in this condition on Saturday August 21. The symbolism is very significant for Christians who have just celebrated August 15, the birthday of the Virgin Mary. According to Ouest-France, the community called the police to find out what might have happened. At first sight, the statue was broken and damaged by the fall. It will probably have to be restored before it can be put back in its place.
The church is owned by the municipality and is a listed building. The town’s mayor, Roland Gastine, warns that the investigation into this case could have repercussions, especially if the perpetrator or perpetrators of the vandalism are identified, as reported by the regional daily. This new incident comes after a decapitated statue of the Virgin Mary was found in Plouay (see tweet above) , another town in the Morbihan department, on Tuesday August 17.