Church Partially Burned, Religious Symbols Put on Fire
A Christian Church building in Hérouville-Saint-Clair, the outskirts of Caen, was vandalized at about 6 am on a Sunday morning. The Church of St. Francis, partially burned, cannot not accommodate the faithful until rebuild.
The authorities of Caen state that they do not know "with certainty whether the anti-religious character was the reason for this arson.""It is clear that the author targeted religious objects," confirmed one judge. Because "the fire was started in a nativity scene crib and a large cross has been seized and broken."
Father Lawrence Lair, the parish priest, sees in this "an act of delinquency and vandalism." Mayor Hérouville-Saint-Clair, Rudolph Thomas (Modem), condemns the "despictable act" while trying to avoid "amalgam so there is no fight between different communities". Sources: http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2011/01/16/97001-20110116FILWWW00148-calvados-une-eglise-en-partie-incendiee.php http://www.agoravox.fr/actualites/religions/article/nouvel-acte-antichretien-une-87347 http://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/une-eglise-du-calvados-partiellement-incendiee-16-01-2011-1229638.php http://www.fdesouche.com/165763-calvados-une-eglise-incendiee