Birthing Mary Statue Beheaded in Linz

A statue depicting Mary giving birth has been beheaded by an unknown vandal.

Entitled "Crowning," it was created by Esther Strauss, and was displayed on a pedestal in Austria's largest cathedral, the Mariendon in Linz. The statue has drawn much criticism from more conservative Roman Catholics, with the perpetrator allegedly describing it as an "abominable and blasphemous caricature," and that its display required "urgent and decisive action."

Traditionalist Catholic activist Alexander Tschugguel claimed to be in contact with the vandal, who has yet to be identified, and whom he praised as the "Hero of Linz." He posted a statement from the perpetrator, which implies that the diocese ignored complaints about the statue. The statement also said that beheading the statue was the quickest way to disfigure it, and so remove any resemblance to Mary.

Tschugguel did something roughly similar in what is now known as the Pachamama incident of 2019, when Amazonian delegates displayed wooden fertility statues in the Vatican gardens. Calling them pagan idols, and their presence in the Vatican sacrilegious, Tschugguel threw the statues into the Tiber River, where they were later recovered by Italian police.

"Crowning" is part of a larger exhibition entitled "DonnaStage." Strauss said it depicts Mary "[getting] her body back," and that "most portraits of the Virgin Mary were made by men and have therefore often served patriarchal interests." She added: "For me, this violence is an expression of the fact that there are still people who question women's right to their own bodies."

"We were aware that we were also provoking debate with this installation," said the episcopal vicar for education, art and culture in the Linz diocese, the Rev. Johann Hintermaier. "If we have hurt people's religious feelings, we are sorry, but I strongly condemn this violent act of destruction, the refusal to engage in dialogue and the attack on the freedom of art."