West Warwick police are investigating the vandalism of an outdoor altar at Sacred Heart Church.

Friday night, following the evening Mass, parishioners Chris Young and Kara Russo found two circumscribed pentagrams drawn on the altar as they visited a shrine to remove weeds.

The pentagrams appear to have been drawn with a black permanent marker on the granite slab that tops the altar. The larger of the two symbols includes five sets of initials: S.N.W., L.A.M., C.E.T., C.M.C. and K.M.G.

The Rev. Richard Bucci, pastor, said Mass is celebrated at the outdoor altar during fair weather. But given the inclement weather, Father Bucci said, it was hard to determine when the vandalism happened. He said he last saw the altar undamaged on June 14.

A parking lot under construction separates the church from the shrine to Padre Pio –– the first priest to receive the visible marks of the crucifixion (stigmata) in the history of the Church. He was canonized in 2002.

No other vandalism incidents have been reported on church grounds, Father Bucci said.

Some people associate pentagrams with Wicca or Satanic cults and some gangs have also adopted the pentagram symbol.

Detective Sgt. Scott Amaral said it does not appear that the drawing had anything to do with worshipping practices or gang culture.

“We think it was just kids in the area that did some malicious damage for no reason,” Amaral said, adding detectives are working with officers assigned to local schools to match the initials found.

kbramson@projo.com