Statue of Mary found intact after church fire in Ivory Coast

The statue of the Virgin Mary placed near the altar of the Catholic chapel in the village of Zéo (Bangolo department, Ivory Coast) was found intact on Sunday, December 04, 2022, after a fire ravaged part of this place of worship.

One of the faithful, Blé Anasthasie, testified: "When we managed to put out the fire, we found that all the altar cloths were destroyed. To the right of the altar, the Virgin Mary was still intact, while everything around her was burned!"

The parish priest, Father Mah Kélassah Paulin, blamed a short circuit for the fire that burned a large part of the church. According to the priest, children who were playing near the chapel said they first heard an explosion inside the church before seeing smoke coming from the roof.

The disaster happened after the Catholic community of Zéo celebrated Sunday Mass and the priest had gone to preach the Gospel to another congregation in the village of Gloplou. He was therefore absent when the fire started.

(AIP) www.news.abidjan.net (Translated)