Attack Feared in NY Orthodox Church Fire

The historic Manhattan Serbian Orthodox cathedral that was gutted by fire Sunday was apparently just one of four that was burned on the Orthodox Easter holiday. Despite the fact that New York fire officials said the flames at St. Sava in the Flatiron District were likely caused by accident, religious community members say they are worried that it was the result of a coordinated attack. “Too many churches have burned to call it an accident,” said Dušan T. Bataković, a former Serbian ambassador. “It is very strange that it happened, that the fires all took place on Easter, the greatest Christian Orthodox holiday. Some kind of terrorist action cannot be excluded.” Two Orthodox churches in Australia and one in Russia were also hit by flames after Easter celebrations on Sunday.