Intentional Arson Destroys Wooden Altar of Saint Anne in Saletto Parish Church
On 19 December, an intentionally set fire destroyed the wooden altar dedicated to Saint Anne inside the parish church of Saletto, in Vigodarzere.
An act of intentional arson severely damaged the wooden altar dedicated to Saint Anne in the parish church of Saletto, located in Vigodarzere, in the province of Padua. The fire broke out on the morning of 19 December 2025, inside a church that remains open during the day.
According to initial findings by firefighters and the Carabinieri, there is no doubt that the blaze was deliberately set. Investigators believe the perpetrator may have used a lighter or one of the tapers available to the faithful for lighting votive candles to ignite the fire.
The flames engulfed the wooden altar, producing dense black smoke and a strong odor that alerted a parishioner who was nearby in the rectory around midday. Upon discovering the altar in flames, he immediately raised the alarm and notified parish priest Don Alessandro Pedron.
The fire destroyed not only the altar but also the tabernacle inside it, which was empty at the time, and the altarpiece depicting Saint Anne. A side wall was blackened by smoke. No witnesses have yet come forward.
Don Alessandro Pedron stated: “We assume the fire was set between 10 and 11 a.m. The church is open during the day, so anyone could have entered and started the fire. Even the tabernacle inside the altar, which was empty, burned, as did the altarpiece depicting Saint Anne. At the moment, no one seems to have seen anything. We await the outcome of the Carabinieri’s investigation. We are not making any assumptions about who may be responsible, because it could be anyone.”
Source: ilgazzettino
Photo: Wikipedia
