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Notre Dame fire hits after several cases of vandalism against French Catholic churches Notre Dame fire was 2nd to hit an iconic French Catholic church in a month
(about 3 hours later)
The world watched in horror at Paris’ historic Notre Dame Cathedral erupting in flames Monday. The fire is the latest in a series of troubles that have plagued Catholic churches in France in the last several months. The world watched in horror as Paris’ historic Notre Dame Cathedral erupted in flames Monday. It was the second fire to hit a historic French Catholic church in under a month.
Some of those incidents were acts of vandalism, unlike the fire at Notre Dame, which appears to be an accident connected to renovations of the church. Editor’s note: The initial version of this article contained information about vandalism in French churches. The author believed it necessary to include it to point out the troubles that have recently plagued the Catholic churches of France. The text stressed that vandalism had nothing to do with the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. Upon review, we believe that although the article was factually correct, some readers may have found it insensitive. That was not what RT was aiming for. Like the rest of the world, we grieve for the partial loss of the architectural masterpiece that is Notre Dame.
The image of the famous spire engulfed in flames is a hard hit to the historically deeply Catholic France.  While Notre Dame is undoubtedly the most well-known landmark to be affected, Paris’ second largest church, Saint-Sulpice, briefly burst into flames on March 17, with fire damaging doors and stained glass windows on the building’s exterior. Police later reported that the fire had not been “an accident.” While Notre Dame is undoubtedly the most well-known landmark to be affected, Paris’ second largest church, Saint-Sulpice, briefly burst into flames on March 17. The fire damaged the church’s doors and stained glass windows on the building’s exterior, but firefighters managed to bring it under control before anybody was hurt.
In February, a cross of human excrement was smeared on the wall of the Notre Dame des Enfants in Nimes. The vandals also looted the church and threw consecrated wafers in the garbage. The fire that hit Saint-Sulpice reportedly started in a pile of clothes left outside the cathedral, before climbing up the door and to the stained glass. The clothes are believed to have been left there by a homeless person. Police said the fire was “not accidental,” but the pastor of Saint-Sulpice argued it was not an anti-religious attack.
The same month, the altar at Saint-Alain Cathedral in Lavaur was set on fire, while statues and crosses were smashed throughout the premises. Two teenagers were later arrested. Unlike in the Notre Dame fire, the damage to Saint-Sulpice was relatively minor. The church, founded in the 17th century, houses three paintings by 19th century Romantic artist Eugene Delacroix, none of which were damaged.
In another incident on February 4, a statue of the Virgin Mary was found smashed on the ground at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Houilles, Yvelines. Just days later, the Eucharist was scattered and the altar cloth soiled at the Church of Notre Dame de Dijon. Fortunately, many of the relics in Notre Dame escaped the fire unscathed. The ancient Crown of Thorns and the tunic of St. Louis were transported safely to the Paris City Hall. The cathedral frame itself also remained intact, though its roof and spire collapsed.
There is no evidence that the devastation at Notre Dame was anything but accidental, though the near-destruction of the iconic cathedral has put a tragic focus on the previous months’ events.
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