Man arrested after crucifix at Boston cathedral vandalized, Jesus’ arms broken off

On Wednesday, police arrested a man who had been caught on camera vandalizing a cathedral in Boston, Massachusetts the night before.

The suspect damaged the crucifix outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, ripping Jesus Christ's arms from their sockets and leaving them dangling in the breeze.

According to 25News, while Boston police did confirm that the suspect was in custody, they did not provide any further information regarding his identity or a potential motive.

Footage of the incident showed a man dressed head to toe in army green with a military-style backpack climbing onto the pedestal upon which the crucifix stands and proceeding to grab hold of Christ's arms.

They split from the rest of his body, though thanks to the nails in his hands they did not fall to the ground, but instead remained fastened to the horizontal beam of the crucifix.

The man then grabbed Christ's legs and began to swing around, though the Beloved Son refused to tumble.

People walking by the cathedral took notice of the man's actions, and told him to cut it out as they filmed the evidence. One bystander then called 911.

Following the incident, the Archdiocese of Boston released a statement to the media via its spokesperson, Terry Donilon.
 

"Unfortunately, the Cathedral experienced vandalism at the exterior crucifix," he explained. "I have no information regarding why someone would take such an action. It's now in the capable hands of the BPD."

Donilon added that the Archdiocese "will work with the Cathedral to assess the damage."

Only the crucifix was targeted during the attack, with the building itself remaining unscathed. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, built in 1875, is the largest Roman Catholic church in all of New England, and has been a fixture of the South End neighborhood since its inception.