Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Holy Week of Destruction!

Some guy tried to burn down the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. He is described as "disturbed," which hardly seems necessary. We take for granted that anybody who tries to burn down a cathedral is disturbed in some fashion.

Two things jump out at us from the initial coverage. First, and fortunately, nobody was injured. Fifteen hundred people had to leave the premises, but that was just a precaution. Scary, no doubt, but nothing more. Enjoy your trip to Catalonia, everybody.

Second, though, is this: the fire started in the sacristy, when the arsonist took a lighter to some vestments. What was this disturbed guy doing in the sacristy?

And third, coming on top of a hammer-and-chisel attack on a painting by some "Catholic" activists in France: Happy Holy Week, everybody! Yikes.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

And Europeans think this sort of thing only happens with us.

Father Anonymous said...

Ha! We've got 'em now.

Gillian said...

Same thing happened at the Episcopal cathedral in San Diego on IV Advent about 4 years ago now. Transient started a fire in the choir robing area directly under the chancel and altar area, using the choir robes as his tinder, right in the middle of a Sunday service. Had to evacuate 400 people as we were distributing communion. The clergy finished distributing on the sidewalk outside while the FD extinguished it. Meant that Advent Lessons and Carols w/ the Men & Boys Choir, etc. (big big service) that night had to be acapella and by candlelight, as the electrical system was temporarily disabled from the water and foam.