Altar destroyed in arson attack on Catholic church in West Sumutra

May 07,2014: An arson attack almost destroyed the Catholic church of St. Mary of the Ascension, located in a rural area of Kinali district in Indonesia's West Sumatra province. The incident occurred on May 4 just before the Sunday mass. Bishop Martinus D. Situmorang of the local Diocese of Padang, confirmed what happened to AsiaNews, and said that the police are investigating. Initial reports say the assailant soaked the altar in kerosene and set it on fire but the crucifix remained intact. The Diocese of Padang covers the entire territory of the province of West Sumatra and some tiny islands of Mentawai. Unlike these atolls, where the population is mostly Catholic, Christian or animist,West Sumatra is predominantly Muslim and is considered the second most "fundamentalist" area of Indonesia after Aceh province.
Source: AsiaNews