Authorities Search For Answers As Country’s Classic Churches Keep Burning Down

The Church of the Immaculate Conception went up in flames Monday in yet another instance of a French church burning to the ground, leading to speculations on the origins of their destruction.

The church burnings highlight the tensions brewing in France’s secular and multicultural country, and its immigration policies have come under increased scrutiny. Weak church structures, bias against Christians and mass immigration have all been brought up as potential factors in the onslaught of church burnings.

The church of the Immaculate Conception was nestled in the northern French town of Saint-Omer, and its bell tower collapsed from the fire. Prosecutors announced Tuesday that police arrested a man in relation to the incident, LeMonde reported.

A Saint-Omer prosecutor told Agence France-Press the man was known for previously committing “similar acts.”

France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated in a Twitter post Monday that an investigation was underway to “determine the exact origin of the fire.” (Read more from “Authorities Search For Answers As Country’s Classic Churches Keep Burning Down” HERE)

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