Breezy Point church heavily damaged by fire, just a day before Easter Mass

An afternoon fire wiped out the interior of St. Edmund Church in Breezy Point, Queens, Saturday, the day before Easter Mass, forcing parishioners to find another place to worship on one of the holiest days of the Catholic calendar.

"It caused significant damage," said John Quaglione, a spokesman for the Brooklyn Diocese. "The services were set up for Easter Mass, the pews, the altar, everything inside has been burned. Luckily, no one was inside."

The FDNY got the call of a fire in the church just before 2 p.m. It started in the back, according to Quaglione, but spread throughout the church and into the roof.

"They were able to save a statue of the Sacred Heart," Quaglione said. "The structure is still there, but the inside is wiped out."

The blaze rose to three alarms with 138 firefighters and EMS personnel responding from 33 units. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, according to the FDNY press office. The flames were under control at 3:40 p.m., according to a spokesman.

"We thank God that no one was injured, and are so grateful to the New York City firefighters for their heroic efforts," Bishop Robert Brennan of the Brooklyn Diocese said in a statement on Facebook. "Still our hearts are heavy for this sacred space has been a home of faith, prayer, and sacraments for so many. Please join me in praying for the parish community."

Fire marshals are investigating the cause of the fire.

"Today is supposed to be a very quiet, somber day on the Catholic calendar — between the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection," Quaglione said. "Unfortunately, it has not been a quiet, prayerful day. It has taken a lot out of people. They haven’t lost their faith."

St. Edmund is one of three churches in the Blessed Trinity Catholic Parish, which also includes St. Genevieve and St. Thomas More churches, all on Rockaway Point.

Quaglione said that parishioners of St. Edmund are encouraged to attend Easter services at one of the other churches in the area.

"The message of Easter is one of hope," he said. "It challenges people, but it’s a strong community."