Vandalism discovered at Heggen Church in Vikersund, Norway

On Tuesday morning, vandalism was discovered at Heggen Church in Buskerud, located in Vikersund. The area has experienced heightened tension over the last two weeks following a violent incident in the community.

A hiker contacted one of the church staff to report that someone had spray-painted the walls of the historic medieval church. “It was written in large black paint on two of the walls—words that conflict with the message we want to convey,” said Nina Brokhaug Røvang, the churchwarden for Modum municipality.

While Røvang refrained from disclosing the specific content of the graffiti, it is clearly linked to a planned torchlight procession in Vikersund that was canceled due to recent unrest in the village. “We do not want to draw attention to the text, as it is not a message we wish to promote from our churches. We have covered the graffiti with white cloths, and the church caretaker has gone to buy paint for a temporary cover,” she added.

The church dates back to the early 1200s when it was first built in Romanesque style using local limestone, later expanded between 1697 and 1725 into a cross-shaped architecture and is now protected as a historical site.

Regarding the incident, Røvang expressed her sadness over the hateful messages, particularly noting that a church should be a place of comfort and welcome for all. Speculation about the motivations behind the vandalism has arisen, exacerbated by the current situation in Vikersund.

Authorities have been notified, and an investigation is underway. The police have confirmed their presence at the scene and will proactively seek dialogue with the perpetrators to understand their motives—hoping to prevent future occurrences.