Statue of the Virgin Mary Attacked with Arson
A processional statue of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Bon Secours in Guingamp was set on fire on 14 September. The fire was extinguished with an extinguisher by the owner of a nearby crêperie. According to a source close to the case: "The initial findings totally confirm it. It is clearly an arson attack. For the moment we have no information on the perpetrator or perpetrators. The investigations will continue. The statue was not completely destroyed, but its clothes were destroyed.
The bishop of Saint-Brieuc and Tréguier, Mgr Moutel, reacted in a press release: "I would like to thank the Catholic community and all the inhabitants of Guingamp for the closeness of their hearts and prayers. It seems that the fire was started deliberately. The gendarmerie investigation will determine the circumstances. The fact that the fire began at the Virgin's face, where no candles or lights were placed, suggests with almost no doubt that the fire was arson. The attachment to Our Lady of Good Help goes far beyond the churchgoers. Let us not allow ourselves to be divided by such acts, let us seek to create the conditions for peace and fraternity".
Source: christianophobie.fr, La Croix Africa, Le Telegramme
Photo: Google Maps