Global Courant 2023-05-25 20:19:37
A woman has been charged with the arson reported at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The sanctuary, located in Des Plaines, Illinois, suffered more than $78,000 in damage caused by a deliberate fire on the property.
Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41, faces felony charges in the arson case.
Police say they found Roque-Fermin nearby after arriving at the scene. Officers claim the woman quickly walked away from the crime scene with visible grime on her clothing.
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Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41, was charged with one felony count of arson after she set fire to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe on May 23, 2023. (Des Plaines Police Station)
“The Shrine is under video surveillance, which officers were able to view,” police said in a statement posted on social media.
Video footage shows Roque-Fermin lighting the fire early Tuesday morning. The footage would also show how the woman added materials to the fire to expand the flames.
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Hundreds of riders and amazons arrive to pay their respects, throw a rose and pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, Illinois. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“Surveillance footage shows Roque-Fermin carrying items such as statues, buckets, chairs and flower pots into the grotto/cave of the shrine,” the police statement continued.
It added: “She then starts a fire and continues to carry surrounding objects to the fire to fan the flames. The total damage was estimated at more than $78,000.”
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Naomi Quintana, whose husband is a truck driver, decorates their truck with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to pay her respects at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, Illinois on Saturday, December 4, 2021. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The shrine is owned and maintained by the Archdiocese of Chicago. It is a place of pilgrimage for thousands of Catholics every year.
“While we are deeply saddened by the painful vandalism, we wish that with the help of our community we can reconstruct the open-air Chapel of the Resurrected Christ, also known as ‘the Altar of Miracles’,” said a statement on social media from the sanctuary. page reads.
“Pilgrims visit for many reasons: some seek hope, others express gratitude, but all come with prayers and express their love for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the sanctuary’s statement read.
The archdiocese is asking for donations from local Catholics to repair the damage and return the shrine to service.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and email him at [email protected]
