Vandals Damage Church in Albanian Mountain Village

SINICË, ALBANIA — As reported by UOJ-Albania, unidentified perpetrators have vandalized the Church of St. Athanasius in the mountain village of Sinicë, damaging icons and sacred objects and pouring cement inside the historic church, according to local reports.

Residents said the perpetrators first destroyed bags of cement that had been brought to the remote church for maintenance, tearing them open and scattering their contents. They then entered the church and overturned and damaged objects inside. Police and the Holy Metropolis of Korça were notified of the incident.

The church is located in a mountainous area about 1,300 meters above sea level, where access is difficult and there are no suitable roads or water supply. Villagers, who have voluntarily maintained the site for years, said the difficulty of reaching the church suggested that the perpetrators had deliberately targeted it.

Some residents have linked the vandalism to a recent social-media-related controversy involving a publication that mocked villagers for dancing Greek dances during a local celebration. They suggested that divisive language in the post may have encouraged nationalist extremists, although no official connection between the publication and the vandalism has been established.

Residents said the attack had damaged not only a religious and historical monument but also a symbol of the community’s coexistence. They noted that both Christian and Muslim residents have helped maintain and rebuild the church over the years and called on authorities to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

Previously, the UOJ reported that thieves stole bells and sacred items from a Sviatohirsk Lavra skete.