A historic African American church in Florida became the target of hateful vandalism just days after an accidental fire severely damaged the property, according to local authorities and church leaders.
Members of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ocala were already dealing with the aftermath of an electrical fire that broke out Saturday night when they discovered additional damage on Monday morning.
Vandals had reportedly marked the church with racist graffiti and disturbing symbols, including drawings of devil horns.
Investigators said offensive phrases, including “Peckerwood Wellick,” had been carved into parts of the building and displayed on the church’s marquee sign.
The church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Sha'Leda A. Mirra told The Christian Post that the incident was a painful attack on both the congregation and the wider community.
“Saint Paul is not just a building, it is the communal space where we worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it is the legacy left to us by our ancestors,” she said.
“It is sacred ground, a place where we have prayed, worshiped, grieved, and grown together as a community. To see it violated in this way, especially in the midst of mourning the fire, is heartbreaking.”
Firefighters were first called to the church late Saturday at approximately 10:30 p.m. Officials later determined the blaze was caused by an accidental electrical malfunction, according to local reports.
Mirra said the congregation was devastated that someone chose to exploit a moment of vulnerability to spread hatred.
“It’s painful to know that in a moment when we are already vulnerable, someone chose to target us with hate,” she said, describing the vandalism as “an act of evil desecration of our sacred space.”
Despite the attack, Mirra emphasized that the church would remain steadfast in its faith and mission.
“Yet even in this, I am clear about who we are,” she continued. “While we navigate through ashes and hate, this Pentecost season reminds us that the Holy Spirit has ignited a fire within us, one that consumes fear and equips us with power.”
“We will not be defined by what was written on our walls, but by what lives in our hearts. We reject hate, but we will not lose our voice, our faith, or our witness.”
