The statue suffered various damages following an act of vandalism, and the diocese has filed a complaint to clarify what happened.
According to Tribune Chrétienne, it was the parish priest of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, under whose jurisdiction the sanctuary falls, who discovered the damage a few days ago. The pedestal that held the image had been knocked down and fractured, while the statue itself showed visible damage.
The diocese files a complaint
The wooden statue suffered a crack in one of its feet and other damage that will require restoration work. As a precautionary measure, the statue has been removed and placed in safekeeping while the extent of the damage is assessed and repair work is prepared.
No details have yet been released about those responsible for the attack or the possible motives behind it.
An emblematic sanctuary of the city of Toulon
The sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Faron overlooks the Toulon harbor from the summit of Mount Faron and is one of the most significant religious sites in the region.
Its origins date back to the late 1950s, when Marshal Alphonse Juin, together with former combatants and various local figures, promoted the creation of a place of prayer and remembrance dedicated to those who gave their lives for the Liberation of France during the Second World War.
The chapel was inaugurated in June 1959 and has since become an important center of Marian pilgrimage for the faithful in the area.
A new attack on French religious heritage
The desecrated statue is venerated by the faithful under the title of Our Lady of Mount Faron and is one of the most recognizable elements of the sanctuary.
The investigation remains open while the diocese works to restore the image and return it to its usual place of veneration.
The incident adds to other acts of vandalism recorded in churches, chapels, and Christian monuments in France in recent years, a phenomenon that continues to raise concern among ecclesiastical authorities and Catholic communities in the country.