Photos show ‘almost 90-year-old’ statue of Jesus vandalized, decapitated at Texas cathedral

A historic statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was found decapitated Tuesday morning, in an act of vandalism at a Catholic church in El Paso, Texas.

According to the Diocese of El Paso, St. Patrick Cathedral was vandalized around 10 a.m., when it was “open and available for prayer.”

A suspect came into the church’s sanctuary and “destroyed the almost 90-year-old statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” which was located behind the main altar of the church, the diocese said.

“I am in shock and we at the Cathedral are heartbroken over such an unexpected situation,” St. Patrick Cathedral’s rector, Father Trini Fuentes, said in a statement.

Investigation into the vandalism is still ongoing, but one suspect has been detained by El Paso police.

“At this point we do not know anything about the person who carried out this assault, but he certainly must be a person who is greatly disturbed to have attacked this peaceful place in our city and this image of the King of Peace,” El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz said in a statement.

“I hope this might be the impetus for him to receive the help he needs. He will be in my prayers,” added Seitz, who said he was “devastated at this irreplaceable loss.”

The Sacred Heart of Jesus statue was one of Seitz’s favorite representations of Jesus, with “his arms open wide in welcome, his heart aflame with love for us.”

“I would often take inspiration from this image as I prepared for Mass,” he added.

Last year, the El Paso Times reported that the FBI offered $15,000 in reward for information leading to the arrest of anybody involved in three arson cases at El Paso Catholic churches.

One of them, St. Patrick Cathedral, sustained damages from incendiary devices in mid-May. Nobody was injured in the incident.