Video: Man accused of snapping off arms of Jesus on 150-year-old statue in Boston, cursing out priest



A Massachusetts man is facing charges related to allegations of snapping off the arms of a 150-year-old Jesus statue at a cathedral in Boston.

Around 6:14 p.m. on Tuesday, Michael Patzelt climbed up the cross in front of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, according to police. Video reportedly shows Patzelt grabbing onto the Jesus statue on the crucifix.

Footage from the crime scene allegedly shows Patzelt swinging repeatedly on the Jesus statue and breaking off both of the arms.

A prosecutor explained, "Boston police received a radio call for a person who was hanging on the cross at 1400 Washington Street. ... The person was seen climbing, hanging, and swinging on the cross. He caused significant damage to the cross."

Witness Samuel Copans said, "He was just swearing, saying he could do what he wanted to do. After the priest came out, he said pretty vulgar things to the priest."

Patzelt is also accused of assaulting a woman who was shopping in the area with her child.

Tashana Watson told WFXT, "I pushed him."

“I pushed him like four times to get him away. And then he grabbed my hair and my hat and threw it. Then he tried to have a conversation, something to the effect of, 'Just shoot me.'"

"It's sad, it's an historic landmark. I'm a parishioner, my grandmother went here," Watson added. "The attack makes you feel anything can be open for attack."

The Archdiocese of Boston issued a statement:

We appreciate the swift action by the Boston Police Department in apprehending a suspect. Whatever motivated this person to damage the crucifix, we know it can be repaired and continue to be a source of prayer and hope for the faithful and all those who find comfort in the Lord. We ask that people pray for the individual and for peace in his heart.

Patzelt reportedly caused $20,000 worth of damage to the crucifix that was built some 150 years ago. Crews had already started to repair the vandalized statue at the cathedral in Boston's South End neighborhood.

Michael Patzelt, a 37-year-old of Attleboro, has been charged with malicious destruction of property, assault and battery, and injury to a church/synagogue over $5,000.

The judge wanted to know if mental illness played a role in the church attack.

Judge Paul Treseler said of Patzelt, "Counsel, is this an issue of a depraved heart or a very sick mind?"

Patzelt has a lengthy rap sheet.

"I'm looking at his record and I see a man who has seven pages of committed time. ... And then I go and I look at a 10-page Florida record, and it’s full of similar charges to what we’re seeing here today," the judge said during the hearing.

Patzelt's lawyer said his client is "remorseful."

Patzelt is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 30.

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Sledgehammer-wielding man desecrates Arkansas church altar, steals relics of saints from 1,500 years ago



The marble altar of an Arkansas Benedictine monastery was desecrated by a man wielding a sledgehammer. The man also stole several relics of ancient saints during the church attack.

Around 3 p.m. on Thursday, a man entered the Subiaco Abbey church in Subiaco, Arkansas. The man was wielding a regular hammer and sledgehammer/ax. The man battered a marble altar that was imported from Italy with the sledgehammer. The man bashed a hole through the marble that is several inches thick.

The church said in a statement, "Through the use of a regular hammer and sledgehammer/axe, he destroyed the top of the altar and broke open the mensa stones containing the relics of our altar. He stole our two reliquaries in the mensa stones, both of which contained three relics."

The suspect stole two reliquaries that were gold-colored boxes each containing three relics of saints from over 1,500 years ago. The relics were from the Martyr Saints Boniface and Tiberius, as well as St. Benedict. The second reliquary was later recovered by the Logan County Sheriff's Office and returned to the church.

A sheriff's deputy arrived at the crime scene and then left.

However, the suspect returned to the Subiaco Abbey church later that day. Deputies returned and arrested Jerrid Farnam.

Police said they searched Farnam's vehicle at the church and found the sledgehammer and hammer coated with marble dust. Law enforcement also found one of the reliquary boxes in Farnam's pickup truck. However, the second reliquary reportedly was not recovered.

Farnam was arrested and taken to the Logan County jail. The 31-year-old is expected to be charged with theft of property, criminal mischief in the first degree, residential burglary, breaking or entering, and public intoxication. The charges could change because it is difficult to estimate the costs of the precious artifacts.

The church said, "Due to the desecration of the altar, Abbot Elijah and the monastic community will undertake the 'Public Prayer after the Desecration of a Church.' In accordance with the prescriptions, the altar of the church has been stripped bare and all customary signs of joy and gladness have been put away. Due to the extensive damage to the main altar, the monks will use a portable altar until necessary provisions are made for the repairs."

The church said that the monks would "offer a prayer" for the suspect.

Man arrested for stealing 1,500 year old relics from Subiaco Abbey www.youtube.com

'Satanic' attack on Nigerian church reportedly leaves more than 50 dead, including children



More than 50 people are reportedly dead and dozens more are injured following a "vile and satanic" attack on a Catholic church in Nigeria, according to multiple reports coming out of the West African country.

The unprovoked massacre occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning at St. Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo in Ondo state, roughly 200 miles from the Nigerian capital of Abuja, ABC News reported on Monday,

Parishioners were at the church for a Pentecost worship service when a group of yet unidentified assailants abruptly set off explosives and rushed into the building with guns. At least four of the attackers reportedly opened fire inside the building, striking men, women, and children, while others shot at churchgoers outside.

Attackers used the element of surprise to carry out the massacre in the relatively peaceful town, the Associated Press reported. Within 30 minutes, the assailants conducted the carnage and escaped the scene.

The attack left streaks of blood on the church's walls and floors surrounding shards of glass and broken pews and lecterns, according to Reuters. Bloodied parishioners covered the floor as emergency medical responders rushed to the scene and desperately began treating the wounded.

Authorities have yet to announce the official death and casualty toll, but media outlets are reporting both figures are in the dozens. In a statement, the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria claimed that "more than 50 parishioners" had perished.

As of Monday, no person or group had claimed responsibility for the killings, but many believe it was a coordinated terrorist attack.

"The attack is undoubtedly terrorist in nature, and the scale and brutality suggests it was carefully planned rather than impulsive," Eric Humphery-Smith, a senior Africa analyst, told the AP.

The news agency noted that the West African nation, the continent's most populous, has been plagued by violence from various armed extremist groups for more than a decade — including the jihadist group Boko Haram and its offshoot the Islamic State West Africa Province.

Following the tragedy, Ondo state Gov. Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu reportedly said in a statement, "The vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years. We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay."

Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, also condemned "the heinous killing of worshippers," adding, "No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness will never overcome light."