Diocesan News

Nativity Scene Disrupted at St. Joan of Arc Church

January 7, 2023
Statues of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were moved from a Nativity scene at St. Joan of Arc Church in Jackson Heights to the church’s front steps.

By Tablet Staff

JACKSON HEIGHTS — Police are investigating an incident at St. Joan of Arc Church in Jackson Heights, where a Nativity scene was disturbed, and a statue was damaged.

A damaged statue was found in the Blessed Mother Shrine Garden outside of St. Joan of Arc Church in Jackson Heights.

Msgr William Hoppe, pastor of St. Joan of Arc, said that around 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7, the church noticed that three statues were moved from the Nativity scene in the Blessed Mother Shrine Garden outside the church.

The statues of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were each placed separately in front of different doors on the steps at the entrance of the church.

Also, near the Nativity scene, which included several animals and statues, they discovered a severely-damaged statue of one of the Three Kings and that Christmas lights were ripped off in another area of the garden.

Since the yard is locked, it is believed that whoever is responsible may have hopped the fence to enter the private property.

NYPD officials said they were made aware of the incident and confirmed it was under investigation but had no further comment.