You are reading

Statue of the Virgin Mary in Elmhurst Vandalized; NYPD Investigating as Potential Hate Crime

(Diocese of Brooklyn)

July 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin

A statue of the Virgin Mary in front of a Catholic high school in Elmhurst has been vandalized and the NYPD is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

The word “IDOL” was spray painted down the front of the statue at Cathedral Prep School and Seminary, located at 56-25 92nd St.

Staff members first discovered the graffiti at 7:30 a.m. this morning, the Diocese of Brooklyn — which also covers the borough of Queens — announced. The statue has since been cleaned.

Surveillance footage from the scene shows an individual defacing the statue of Mary at 3:09 a.m. this morning, July 10.

Cathedral Prep Vandalism from Diocese of Brooklyn Press Office on Vimeo.

The statue of the mother of Jesus has stood in front of the school for decades. It originally stood at the school’s Brooklyn location but was moved to the Queens location when the two campuses merged in 1985.

Rector and President of Cathedral Prep, Father James Kuroly, condemned the act of vandalism.

“Today, Cathedral Prep endured an act of hatred,” Kuroly said. “We were victims of vandalism against a beloved statue that is dear to generations of Cathedral students.”

“Please continue praying for those who committed this act of vandalism and hatred toward Our Lady and the Church,” Father Kuroly said. “May Mary stand forever at the doors of Cathedral Prep greeting her sons.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the NYPD’s 110th Precinct at (718) 476-9311 or call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-8477.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

3 Comments

Click for Comments 
Gardens Watcher

Wonder if this tagger is connected to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral taggers? Black spray paint again. Despicable act.

Reply
Fed up

How could someone do this? This society is in the sewer. When you’re young your parents are supposed to teach you certain things are off limits . People of taken the power away from the police. Scumbags

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Homeless men charged in deadly 7 train subway brawl in Woodside: DA

Three homeless men were arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Tuesday and variously charged with felony robbery, attempted gang assault, and assault for allegedly stealing the belongings of a 69-year-old homeless man who was asleep on a Manhattan-bound 7 train in Woodside early Sunday morning.

The victim woke up and tried to regain his property. During the ensuing brawl, the victim fatally stabbed a 37-year-old assailant and slashed a second man. The victim has not been charged in the fatal stabbing. The investigation by the NYPD’s Queens Homicide Squad and members of the 108th Precinct in Long Island City remains ongoing.