Standing outside of St. Mary and St. Moses Coptic Orthodox Church, Father Tomas Kalta struggled to describe how he felt when his congregation was consumed by fire.
Standing outside of St. Mary and St. Moses Coptic Orthodox Church, Father Tomas Kalta struggled to describe how he felt.
"My heart is broken," said Kalta, who serves as pastor at the church.
Kalta was in the church Saturday evening, preparing for Sunday services. About an hour after he left, he received a phone call informing him that the church was on fire.
"I was in shock," Kalta said.
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Firefighters rushed to the church on North B Street in the Taftville section of Norwich around 10 p.m. Saturday. The Taftville chief arrived about a minute after the call and found fire consuming about 20% of the 119-year-old church.
Several fire departments worked together to fight the flames and save the building. They stopped the fire from spreading to the entire church. The main worship area saw the most damage. According to firefighters, about 35% of the building was damaged by fire and other areas have smoke and water damage.
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"Not only the building, but everything we own is gone," Kalta said. "We have to start all over again. From scratch.”
St. Mary and St. Moses Coptic Orthodox Church recently purchased the building on North B Street to accommodate a growing congregation. They just paid for improvements and moved in less than six months ago.
Kalta said that the building was a symbol of hope for his congregation.
"They are very devastated. Very devastated," Kalta said. "And they are shaken and their faith is shaken unfortunately."
The church was built in the early 1900s. Many in the area know it as the "green church." Before St. Mary and St. Moses Coptic Orthodox purchased it, the building was home to the Taftville Congregational Church.
“It was a good place to be and a good place to worship and be together with people," said Rev. Jack Shackles, who was pastor of the Taftville Congregational Church for 15 years.
The heat of the flames shattered his favorite stained glass windows.
"Like any place you work, the building and all that this represented becomes a part of you," Shackles said. "So to see this....it is sad."
Kalta called the building an "icon" for the community and said he hopes to continue serving the community there. The congregation has already been touched by an outpouring of community support.
"Everyone has been great. It is a blessing," Kalta said.
Kalta said he filed an insurance claim almost immediately after the fire. He spoke with a contractor regarding a potential rebuild and said, if they are lucky, it would take about a year and a half.
In the meantime, they are looking for spaces to rent for their services.
"The goal is to continue here and to rebuild," Kalta said.
A prayer service is being held outside of the church on North B Street for later this week. All are welcome.
The cause is under investigation. Anyone with information about the fire is urged to contact the Norwich Police Department at (860) 886-5561 ext. 6 or the department's anonymous tip line at (860) 886-5561 ext. 4. All information can be kept confidential.
