Vandalism Forces Church To Hold Easter Mass Outdoors
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Sometime between 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday morning vandals broke into the St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, smashed glass, overturned furniture, sprayed a fire extinguisher throughout the church and stole money.
"I walked in and they had vandalized everything. Every room has been vandalized in some degree or another," Father Jim Gilchrist said.
The burglar or burglars also broke into Gilchrist's office, destroyed his computer and vandalized an adjacent building also belonging to the church.
The broken glass and chemicals left behind from the burglary forced the church to cancel Easter Sunday mass, but an impromptu celebration took place outside the church for a small group of parishioners who arrived for 10:15 a.m. mass.
"I think it was a little more special today; very fitting to this beautiful day. Look, there are no clouds in the sky, God is looking over us," said long-time parishioner, Heather Paprocki.
The burglary is still being investigated by the Aurora Police Department. When asked why he thought someone would vandalize a church on Easter Sunday, Father Gilchrist said, "That is a good question that perhaps only the person and God know -- and maybe the Devil."
