2 Jul 2019

Saipan church vandalized, altar set on fire

12:37 pm on 2 July 2019

A church on Saipan in the Northern Marianas was broken into last weekend and its altar partly set on fire.

Attempt to set Saipan Church altar set on fire

Attempt to set Saipan Church altar set on fire Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Mark Rabago

The church pastor the Reverend James Balajadia said it's thought St. Jude Parish Church was broken into on Sunday afternoon by a suspect who tried to burn the altar.

A Ten Commandments monument was also damaged.

Nothing was reported stolen from the church.

Rev Balajadia said there was no surveillance camera footage of the intruder.

He said he hoped the person behind the incident gets help.