Father Vinícius Maciel, SSCC, rector of the Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Health and Peace, spoke in the early afternoon about the attack on the church's images on the morning of this Thursday (29). The parish priest calmed the devotees who were in the temple and asked that there be no anger or revenge.

“It is important to emphasize that there should be no feelings of anger, revenge, or violence among the devotees. The feelings should be of peace and harmony. The images have symbolic and religious value, but they will be restored. He should be treated as a brother, with love.”, "said Father Vinicius.".

Around 11:00 AM, a 47-year-old man, who was apparently praying in the Church of Father Eustáquio, stood up, walked to the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, grabbed it, and threw it to the ground. He then went to the opposite side and did the same with the image of the Sacred Heart of Mary. About 15 people who were in the church restrained the man until the police arrived.

Initially, religious intolerance is not believed to be the cause; rather, a possible psychotic episode may have been experienced by the man. He was arrested by the police and taken to the police station to give a statement. The images were collected and will undergo a restoration process.