Heather Hogan
Police are investigating a charge of arson after St Peter’s church in Hermanus was vandalised in the early hours of the morning on Halloween.
Reverend Dan Auret believes if he hadn’t arrived when he had, the church, the oldest in the town, would have burned to the ground. He is unsure whether the attack was perpetrated by common vandals or Satanists.
When Auret visited the church at 8am on Halloween, he found the building filled with smoke and five small fires still burning.
The perpetrators had gained access through a side window and defecated in the baptism font. Holes were burned in the floor and on several benches while the church’s ornate candlesticks were arranged in a satanic figure and Bibles were burned and torn on the altar.
The organ was slightly damaged by the fire. Some of the hand-sewn kneeling cushions were also burned on the altar.
Police maintain Satanists prefer older churches to the new ones, which look like halls and are rather plain in comparison.
They have sent evidence gathered at the scene for forensic testing, and suspect it was the work of “high-up” Satanists as they covered their tracks very well.
There was no evidence of sacrifices and the only blood was a drop on a cushion which “could have come from anywhere”.
“The damage is extensive – we have no idea yet how much it will cost to repair. Although Hermanus has a history of satanic activity, we can’t be sure that it was Satanists in this case,” says Auret.
“In the meantime we are using the hall for our services. Fortunately, the church was insured. With any luck we’ll have our church back in order by Christmas.”