Famed French organ is destroyed by arson
NewsThe 1861 Merklin organ at the church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer, Northern France, has been completely destroyed in an overnight fire, believed to be the work of arsonists. The fire broke out at 4.30 am on Monday and the bell-tower collapsed very quickly.
One suspect has been detained.
Horrific. The unique sound of these instruments cannot be replicated.
From Catholic News Agency: “Arrested and taken into police custody on the evening of September 2, the suspect, identified as Joël Vigoureux, is said to have been convicted on numerous occasions of similar acts of destruction by fire in recent years.”
Horrifying. What is wrong with people?
How much time have you got?
At least they mentioned his name, if not the angle of his social media posts.
Horrific. And a depressing coincidence, happening on the eve of Bruckner’s 200th.
Absolutely devastating. Irreplaceable.
This is devastating. My heart stopped in the reading of it. We have evil people amongst us.
Strange – or is it? – that the UK media never widely report attacks against Christian churches.
They would of it were in a church full of praying Christians, as we have had several times, and particularly Catholics in Nigeria of late, not organs. Just depends what channel you watch or radio station. Given the elections, there will be those saying, oh well, it’s France and now a right wing PM appointed out of the EU!
The criminal concerned appears to have cultivated a specific hatred against the catholic church, claiming he was violated by a catholic when a child:
https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2024/09/04/incendie-d-une-eglise-a-saint-omer-le-suspect-recidiviste-mis-en-examen_6304256_3224.html