An act of vandalism was committed in St. Cross Armenian church in Lebanese city of Zalka. The desecrators demolished the statue of St. Rita, some icons and looted the secretariat, L'Orient-Le Jour said.

The church’s priest, who first discovered the demolished relics, called the police. He doesn’t rule out that the desecration is lined with Pope Benedict’s visit to Lebanon. The priest also cited a possibility of an Islamist group attack, since the incident occurred on the eve of a Christian festival.