Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office Man charged in arson attack on Catholic Church in Florida
A man accused of setting a Florida church on fire is being held without bail on charges that include attempted second-degree murder and arson.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office charged Steven Shields, 23, on Saturday, hours after detectives say he rammed a minivan through the front door of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala, doused the foyer with gasoline and set it on fire, causing extensive damage.
Several people were inside preparing for Mass when the attack occurred early on Saturday, but no one was hurt.
According to court documents, Mr Shields told detectives he is mentally ill but had stopped taking his medication, the Ocala Star-Banner reported.
Mr Shields told detectives what he did was “awesome,” and he smiled and laughed, the affidavit said. He told detectives he was “on a mission,” called himself “king” and that he has problems with the Catholic Church and referenced passages in the Bible’s Book of Revelations.
Virgin Mary statue at Boston church scorched
Police in the US city of Boston say they are investigating vandalism to a statue of the Virgin Mary outside a Catholic church in the city.
Officers responded to St Peter’s parish in the city’s Dorchester neighbourhood on Saturday evening, according to a post on the department’s website.
Fire investigators at the scene told police that someone had set fire to plastic flowers, which were in the hands of the statue, causing the face and upper body of the statue to be burned and marred with scorch marks [photo above].
No arrests were announced.
Mass celebrated after fire damages centuries-old mission church
Mass was celebrated on Sunday on the grounds of a historic Catholic church in Southern California that had been heavily damaged by fire a day earlier [above].
The blaze early on Saturday destroyed the rooftop and most of the interior of San Gabriel Mission, which was undergoing renovation to mark its upcoming 250th anniversary celebration.
Archbishop Jose Gomez presided over Sunday’s Mass at a chapel near the burned sanctuary.
Parishioner Liccia Beck said she was saddened by news of the fire at her home parish. She was among a crowd of worshipers which arrived early to pray the rosary before the Mass.
“I’m hoping that more people will show up throughout the day,” Ms Beck said. “We need to pray for our churches and our people that they’re safe.”
Parishioners wore masks and kept a distance from each other because of the coronavirus epidemic.