Northern Ireland

Second arson attack on St Patrick's Church in Belfast

Emergency services inside St Patrick's last night after leaflets and papers were set on fire inside the building. Picture by Cliff Donaldson
Emergency services inside St Patrick's last night after leaflets and papers were set on fire inside the building. Picture by Cliff Donaldson Emergency services inside St Patrick's last night after leaflets and papers were set on fire inside the building. Picture by Cliff Donaldson

A FIRE at a Catholic church in Belfast city centre is "an attack on all the community", an SDLP councillor has said.

It is understood a box of leaflets and papers was set on fire at St Patrick's Church on Donegall Street shortly before 6pm yesterday.

Fire crews attended the small blaze, which broke out in the church's columbarium where cremation urns are stored.

The fire comes just weeks after curtains draped in front of a Holy Door opened for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy were set alight, causing damage to the church.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Down and Connor said police and the Fire Service will be investigating the cause of last night's blaze.

He said St Patrick's "very much sees itself as a parish church in Belfast city centre serving the people of Belfast and this fire is at variance with its experience of working with the community".

The fire came just days before the church plans to host a Mass of Hope for Belfast's homeless community.

A new soup kitchen will be opened at the Mass on Wednesday evening.

SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said the church is a "welcoming place for all".

"This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and may result in St Patrick's having to review security and close the church at times which will have impact on many of those people who use it," he said.

"This Wednesday night the church will share a message of hope and reach out to Belfast's homeless while launching a soup kitchen which shows the positive work that St Patrick's do daily."

He added: "I have spoken to police tonight and there's an ongoing investigation. Any attack on any church is an attack on the all the community."