French Church is Victim of Repeated Vandalism
L’église Saint-Martin in Sangatte, France is yet again a victim of vandalism. On September 16th, a volunteer at the Blanc-Nez Pentecostal parish returned to Saint-Martin to close the doors for the evening and immediately discovered smoke emerging from the church. She also noticed broken candles littering the ground and that small decorations were taken down. Thick smoke surrounded the altar of wood and marble, and it was apparent that the small fire could have easily spread to the wooden furniture and carpets, completely destroying the church.
According to the volunteer, broken candles, stolen chairs, and displaced furniture have become regular occurrences. She said that she is in constant fear of damage because last December, the church was broken into, the door being completely destroyed, and an ancient statue of the Virgin, a precious gold chalice, antique chandeliers and the marble tabernacle were stolen. The police are investigating. Sources: http://www.christianophobie.fr/breves/sangatte-vols-degradations-et-tentative-dincendie-criminel-dans-leglise-saint-martin http://www.nordlittoral.fr/faits-divers/vols-et-degradations-a-l-eglise-de-sangatte-ia0b0n243697 Photo credit: Christianophobie.fr