A statue of the Baby Jesus has been vandalised at a centuries-old Edinburgh church on Christmas Eve.
The incident took place at St Patrick’s Church, in the Cowgate area of the Old Town, ahead of midnight mass on December 24.
The church shared the sad news on social media at around 10.30pm.
In a post on Facebook, they wrote: “We ask prayers for reparation tonight on this Vigil of the Lord’s Nativity, for the attack upon the Child Jesus, taken from the throne above the altar; also for the desecration of relics in the Lady Chapel, violence at the crib in the side aisle, and blood spilled in the sanctuary, side chapel and nave.
“At the Easter Vigil we also had threats made against us; tonight another told us ‘you’re finished here’.
“We will bless the Church again after cleaning up the desecration. Encouraging all souls to turn to our patron, that St Patrick’s prayers will protect this oasis of prayer in the Old Town.”
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Edinburgh was ATTACKED tonight, on Christmas Eve
• Baby Jesus BEHEADED
• Blood spilled in the sanctuary, side chapel and nave
• Relics desecrated
• Church threatened ‘You’re finished here’