BEHEADED VIRGIN MARY AND SAINT

Virgin Mary before desecration

St. Francis before being beheaded

Talk about bad karma.

Someone beheaded the Virgin Mary and Saint Francis marble statues at St. John's Episcopal Church in North Springfield. Not only that, but the vandals also cut off their thumbs--which is supposed to be a sign of power. (Does anyone know why? I mean, I get the whole Chinese handcuffs thing, but is that why?) Oh, and p.s., the vandals kept the heads.

Also, someone turned the church's cross upside down and used it to jam the front door.

Church leaders say they're confident this is the work of a cult. Police say they don't know of any specific satanic groups, but they say they probably exist.

Altogether, the church is out about $8,000.