Meadow Lake man charged with arson in fire that destroyed church

A Meadow Lake man has been charged by RCMP in connection with a fire that destroyed a church in the town on Oct. 1.

The 28-year-old appeared in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on Thursday, charged with one count of arson. RCMP said there is “no indication the fire was ideologically motivated.”

An investigation by Meadow Lake RCMP, the Saskatchewan RCMP’s North Battleford Serious Crimes Unit and fire investigators with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is continuing.

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Crews were dispatched to All Saints Orthodox Church shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 1 following a report of smoke and flames coming from the building.

RCMP confirmed the church was destroyed and no one was injured. Police and emergency medical services also attended.

Meadow Lake Fire Chief Joe Grela said engines remained at the scene for about five hours. A crew stayed for roughly another two hours to monitor for hot spots.

A firefighter dampens hotspots after the Oct. 1 fire at All Saints Orthodox Church in Meadow Lake. (Stacey Nolin/Submitted)

Parishioners are mourning the loss of their spiritual home. Kent Vidal said the church building would have been 70 years old in 2028.

“It’s been there for a long time, been lovingly cared for by people for decades and decades. It’s just a shame to see that all go up like that,” he said.

The church was home to numerous pieces of artwork, icons and stained-glass windows, many of which Vidal said are difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

“This is a big loss for our group, but we have a hope that goes beyond the four walls of the building … grateful for that.

“We have a group of people that are committed and dedicated and want to see things continue,” he said. “So hopefully we will find some solutions, but this is just kind of the beginning steps for now.”

All Saints Orthodox Church is a small, parishioner-run congregation. Vidal said regular services can draw a couple of dozen people, while attendance can increase significantly during major holidays.

“We’re starting to see a bit of an uptick in people interested in Orthodoxy and coming to attend the church and appreciate the beauty of the services,” Vidal said. “So, it’s a real shame that this happened at this time.”

—With files from meadowlakeNOW