Vandals have defaced an expensive statue in Crediton by spray-painting anti-Christian slurs.
Residents of the town have expressed their disgust after the statue of St Boniface, which sits in Newcombes Meadow, was targeted.
The graffiti, which is scrawled across the base of the statue, states: "God is dead. Pagan justice."
Town councillor and Britain in Bloom co-ordinator, Michael Szabo, said: "It's extremely annoying when we are trying to keep everything neat and clean for the town.
"The statue of Boniface is a high profile feature, which celebrates the town's most famous son and the patron saint of Devon.
"There are lots of people now in the park, especially as it comes into summer and they are finally able to go out, and we've got these anarchists defacing the statue and promoting their atheistic views.
"It's the worst kind of vandalism and there's really no excuse for it."
Crediton is the birthplace of the famous saint and now the patron saint of Devon (since 2019).
Born in Crediton 675, and then martyred in Frisia in 754, he is also the patron saint of Germany.
He is credited with the origination of the tradition of the Christmas tree. The statue in expensive white Portland stone is in the park in central Crediton.
Several people have expressed their disgust with one volunteering to clean the graffiti off.
But Mr Szabo said it was important that it was cleaned professionally because of the fine quality Portland stone.
The town won a silver gilt award in last year's Britain in Bloom, with Newcombes Meadow a centrepiece of the town's floral features.
