Des Plaines police are investigating an early Tuesday morning fire at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe as possible arson. The blaze affected an outdoor chapel, art and statues, as well as the plaza area, according to a statement from the shrine.
Police officers responded to reports of a fire at the Catholic shrine, 1170 N. River Road, shortly after 2:30 a.m. They attempted to extinguish the flames but were unsuccessful.
The Des Plaines Fire Department arrived shortly thereafter and extinguished the fire. DPFD arson investigators were then called to the scene. Police identified and detained a person of interest, but charges had not been filed as of Tuesday afternoon, according to a department statement posted to social media.
While shrine staff and volunteers said they were “very saddened” by the fire, pilgrims are still welcome to visit the shrine.
Visitors will be asked to stay clear of affected areas, particularly the Chapel of the Resurrected Christ on the west side of the shrine’s Tepeyac Hill.
The faithful believe the apparition of the Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego, a native-Aztec-turned-Catholic-saint, at Tepeyac Hill in Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, almost 500 years ago.
“We ask for special prayers of healing and reconciliation for the individual who has perpetrated this violent act,” said the shrine’s statement, which was posted alongside photos of the damage.
