Washington, D.C., May 10, 2023
A desecrated icon of St. John (Maximovitch)
An Orthodox chapel at a cemetery in Washington, D.C. was found to be vandalized over the weekend.
In particular, a fresco of St. John (Maximovitch) was vandalized with paint and altar wine was drunk.
Fr. Victor Potapov, rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia), informed his parishioners in a statement published on Sunday:
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Christ is risen!
Sad news - our Iveron Icon chapel has been vandalized. After Sunday services I got a call from a parishioner who was at the cemetery visiting the grave of her son and she informed me of the incident. When I arrived at the cemetery, I found that the glass of the entrance door was smashed and the door lock was opened from the inside. Items were strewed over the floor, the face of icon of St. John of Shanghai is covered with gold spay paint, as well as the walls, altar wine was opened and drunk, etc. I called security services who took photos and will write a report. Tomorrow I will speak to the cemetery administration to see how we should proceed.
Lord, have mercy!
In XC,
Fr Victor
Fr. Victor told RIA-Novosti that the incident could be a hate crime, or a case of simple vandalism.
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