Historic church on Sea of Galilee reopens after arson attack
June 22, 2015
Thousands of Israeli Christians flocked to the Church of the Multiplication of Church of the Loaves and Fish, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, for Sunday Mass on June 22, as the church was reopened for use following an arson attack.
Archbishop Michel Sabbah, the retired Latin-rite Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided at the Mass, which was attended by a number of diplomats and non-Christian religious leaders, showing their solidarity with the Catholic victims of a religious extremism. Young Christians staged protests against religious bigotry before and after the Mass.
The ancient church in Tabgha was desecrated and severely damaged on June 18. In addition to setting a fire that ripped through the building, the vandals scrawled slogans on the walls: Hebrew passages condemning the worship of idols. Israeli police attribute the crime to Jewish extremists, but have not yet identified the culprits.
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Further information:
- Reopening of the church of the miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves; gathering to protest against the arson attack (Fides)
- Arson attack on historic church in Israel (CWN, 6/18)
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