100-year-old statues destroyed at The Grotto
PORTLAND, Ore. – Someone destroyed several old marble statues of the baby Jesus, Joseph and angels at The Grotto in Northeast Portland.
One of the damaged statues was of Joseph holding the baby Jesus. Police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said the suspect or suspects went to The Grotto and stole the heads of both Joseph and Jesus off the statue.
Another statue of the Virgin Mary was knocked over and the head was stolen. Police later recovered the head of that statue after a passer-by called them and said it was perched on a post on the west end of The Grotto. Police returned the head to The Grotto. Two small statues of angels were also damaged.
The statues are made of Cararra Italian marble and are more than 100 years old, Simpson said.
Simpson said the vandalism and theft happened on both Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The Grotto is located at 8719 NE Beech Street.
The Grotto is a 62-acre Catholic shrine. It is open to the public.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone with information about the crime that leads to an arrest.
You can leave a Crime Stoppers tip online at crimestoppersoforegon.com, text CRIMES (274637) and in the subject line put 823HELP, followed by your tip, or call 503-823-HELP (4357) and leave your tip information.
I think the reward should be more than $1,000. I believe that the thieves should pay for the shrines/statues.Â
Hmmm....how would those thieves like that done to them? I wouldn't dare do such a thing to the thieves, but one does get my drift. That would hurt. This is the most worst thing one could ever do to Jesus, Joseph and any of the others involved (even if they are statues)!!!! Are the thieves insane?!?!?!?! Or do they just want publicity? Well whoever they are, they certainly are getting it...but it's DEFINITELY NOT GOOD PUBLICITY!!!! How dare them!
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Whether or not the party involved in damaging the statues is caught, I pray that they reflect and realize the error in their actions so their perspectives can change for the better. That is the best outcome we can hope for in addition to acknowledging why this behavior is not acceptable in any society. To the party involved: I hope you change your ways. You can disrespect the edifice, damage the statues, corrupt your mind with negative thinking, but you cannot take away my faith no matter how many saints you symbolically decapitate.Â
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I am not Catholic but very much a christian, I have not had an opertunity to visit the Grotto, but sounds like a very spiritual place to any religious person. Too many people who are afraid to believe or dont want to believe. They think they have an excuse of ignorance to get thier "get out of hell free" card.
WHY? Â Why destroy these statues in so beautiful a place, and right before the holidays, singing, and tours? Â It is not as if these are statues in a place where one HAS to see them (a public beach or park, for example). Â I do not understand this type of vandalism. Â Sometimes there is some point to it, sometimes there is anger or real political motivation. Â But what the hell was behind this?!Â
 @BCH mom ~  Seems that some people are just so totally self-centered; they have absolutely NO respect for anyone else's property; therefore, they believe it's their "right" to steal, destroy, or deface it, just because they feel like it.  Too many times, it's kids who are "bored", and whose parents really don't give a damn what the kids do as long as the kids aren't bugging them.
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But let someone else vandalize THEIR home or steal THEIR car, and suddenly, the shoe's on the other foot..! Â Â
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This kind of destruction just makes me sick..! Â As you said, The Grotto's lovely statues aren't located where anyone who doesn't want to see them, has to... Â The Grotto is just a beautiful, peaceful place that can be appreciated and enjoyed by anyone, regardless of faith and including those with no religious affiliation. Â Â
This is utterly horrible and totally heartbreaking. I have been to The Grotto as early as an infant. I have taken animals there for the Blessing of the Animals. Â I am very saddened to see such mean-spirited and sick vandalism. Is nothing sacred anymore?? I hope the statue heads can be found in the forest around there /Rocky Butte area (at the base).Â
I wonder if this would be considered a hate crime?
 @Amanda Crowe Probably a drunk and disorderly one.
@Amanda Crowe .....interesting. Maybe we should turn this over to the Portland Dept. of Equity.
I am not Catholic but I have been to the Grotto and found it to be a place of serenity in the midst of the big city. I hope they catch who did it because it not only affects those of that religion but others who just need to go there to find peace.
 @Kari It's sacred ground for sure.
I'm not a Christian myself, but the Grotto is a beautiful, peaceful place to go and this wanton destruction of artwork is abhorrent!
What a shame! Some people just need to destroy things, I guess!
The Grotto is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Portland.  Why someone would  do this is incomprehensible to me.
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Seriously, wtf? I'm not religious by any means but this was a beautiful place to go.
A bunch of lowlife individuals would do something like this. A sad thing is that if they get caught, they may get a slap on the wrist or a small fine. Items like this are pretty much irreplaceable. Possible to repair maybe with the right skills and enough money. But in the long run, something that someone put a lot of work in to, and now destroyed because someone thought is was cool to destroy, or wanted to show off to someone else. Hopefully LE catches them, or better yet someone else catches them and allows them to fall down a couple of times.
It is a shame when things like this happen, and it will only contiue
 @Just Lookin I am thinking in a case like this is would not be a slap in the wrist.  The value of the statues, the place it happened, timing...I would think this is a crime someone will actually Pay for...hoping so anyway...
BCH mom,
I hope also that when they catch person or people who did this, that they make the punishment fit the crime.
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It is a shame what Portland has become.
 @Rob C 503 ~  It's everywhere, Rob...  like that lighthouse on our coast that those 2 idiots decided to use for target practice a while back - and they shot out the irreplaceable antique glass windows... and all the gangs (all cities, all states) that think their graffiti is "art", so they deface buildings, fences, whatever and we have to spend a fortune cleaning up after them..?  Â
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I don't know... maybe we've had too much for too long... now we're losing all respect, for each other and for each other's property... and for ourselves, even...Â
Truly sad!
@margay1 .......you're right Margay. Civility and humanity seem to be lost concepts. And people today expect respect......(don't disrespect me) They have no concept of earning it through living an honorable productive life.
@pdxnana48 ...absolutely right. Go Bronco's !
 @Rob C 503  @margay1Â
Too true, Rob C 503. You can't be respected when you have no self-respect. And if they had self-respect they wouldn't be doing what they are doing. So sad what our society has become.Â
What is wrong with people! Makes me sick...
This is just so horrible to me.
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Just think, if you did this in some countries, they'd kill ya dead.
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Especially in the Middle East!
The Taliban and the like would support it on religious grounds. They want the Pyramids flattened as well, as any "thing" valued is idolatry to those of radical religious beliefs.
awful
Pitiful and irresponsible. Have to agree that some people have no respect for others.
can you imagine the Karma for these fools.one way or another they will pay a price.
 @mukunda That's bad mojo.
 @DeaconBugg  @mukundaÂ
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Oh...with that kind of karma and bad mojo then their Tao is definaely out of whack...they'll burn in the fiery pits of hell for sure...likely for a thousand years while 20 demons tap dance on their heads wearing green golf shoes and pink plaid golf pants with orange hula shirts that don't match and a chorus of chimera chant lyrics to Madonna songs such as "like a virgin" and their only food will be straight Marmite without toast or butter and everyone knows that hell smells just like sticking your nose up the but of a bulldog living on a straight diet of canned cat food and bangers.
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I'd never wish that on anyone...particularly the Madonna part...as a forgiving soul I'd far rather see them caught and knee capped because it's so far more humane than an eternity of punishment in hell or bad mojo.
Shameful
I am completely non-religious and this bothers me.Â
 @PDXBEAR As well it should. Things like this hurt us all.Â
The worst part is -- there is absolutely zero punishment applicable that can provide full reparation for the damage caused by these individuals (or individual).
Probably kids or tweakers. Our society is getting more classless by the generation. Shameful.
 @Liberty4_WA Pretty much what I thought.
 @Liberty4_WA  Ever since they let dames work and minorities use the same drinking fountains, huh? It's worse now that men and woman are volunteering to serve America rather than having to be drafted like their fathers and grandfathers. The kids these days, right?
 @Playanekes  @Liberty4_WA I think Liberty meant that people have less "class" as in self-respect.
 @Playanekes  @Liberty4_WA ya gotta point but the drugs scene has made things a lot uglier on another level that needn't exist
How sick is that??!! The Grotto is such a peaceful and beautiful place open to everyone. Â To think that someone would desecrate a place of tranquility and beauty....well, there are no words to describe this kind of mindless destruction.Â
This kind of crap just annoys me to no end.
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There is nobody that is lower in my opinion than those who actively work to destroy works of art. I'm not religious, or gay, or racist, or a Nazi, but I believe that any art produced for any reason is worthy of protection as a expression of free speech and an act of social communication. And, more importantly, I believe that respecting art...free speech...regardless of its meaning is a duty of any thoughtful person that takes pride in being an American.
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I may not like or agree with your artistic expression...speech... but I would defend to the death your right to create it...freely....and for it to remain as a symbol of the times and the social environment and your expression. Â
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Really, I hate these people because they have done harm not just to the Grotto and others who enjoy that place and appreciate the meaning of those icons but because they have undermined a basic rights afforded to Americans under the Constitution. They have stolen something that belongs to everyone and every American that believes in the Constitution and who takes pride in being an American should be outraged.
 @Icarus Nicely said.
 @Icarus Well said!!!
It doesn't pay to have anything nice in this day and age.
 @RalphCramden One mustn't give in to cynicism and despair as the compass to steer by, Ralph.
 @RalphCramden I see the city of roses is further becoming the city of roaches.... sad! :(
 @Funky-Munky  @RalphCramden ~ It isn't just Portland, Munky... it's all over the country...  Americans used to be people who cared about each other, at least for the most part... Sure, we've always had the criminal element among us (what country doesn't?),,, but overall, we depended more on each other, and a lot LESS on the government.   Now it all seems to be reversing itself... Â
 @RalphCramden ~ I guess not, unless you can afford to have armed guards stand watch over them 24/7...  I hate what is happening to this country...
 @margay1Â
I hate it also. We are really declining as a society.
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Unfortunately I expect it to get a lot worse before it gets any better.
I feel the same way, buy I will still speak out when I see idiotic behavior. It's when good men do nothing that evil triumphs. I know I do not always agree with many posters here, but most are good people. We should all be ready to confront stupidity and let stupid know we are watching and are displeased. It is remembered. Oh, sometimes holding a bat in your hand at the same time helps.
 @brautigan Ralph's right. Society is in decline in certain respects.Â
 @RalphCramden  @margay1 Go hide in an attic, Ralph. We'll let you know when it's safe to come out.
 @RalphCramden  @margay1 Sadly, I think your right Ralph. I hope we're wrong but it's not looking that way.