The Evangelical Christian Baptist Church in Kaji-Say, in Kyrgyzstan, was destroyed after being set alight in a reported sectarian arson attack.
But a photo has emerged claiming to show the charred remains of the building, with an open copy of the Bible untouched on the altar – despite the altar cloth being burnt.
While the edges of the holy book look blackened, it appears as though the flames stopped just short of the book.
Release International, a monitor of violence against Christians, claim Muslim militants threw Molotov cocktails into the church in the early hours of January 3.
They believe the attack was carried out in revenge for the church’s active role in organising outreach events.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Churches in Kyrgyzstan have faced growing opposition but this is the first to be attacked in recent years.
Firefighters who tackled the blaze reportedly said they found several bottles of petrol inside the church, but they had failed to ignite.
Paul, from Operation Mark, a partner of Release International in Kyrgyzstan, said: “This is an amazing sign.
“This happened once before when Communists set fire to a Pentecostal Church during the night. The Bible and that building survived too, and there is no doubt the church in Kyrgyzstan will survive – and continue to preach the gospel.”
There were no injuries in the attack and it is being investigated by police.
The incident is a sign of growing tensions towards the Kyrgyz Christian population in recent times.
Local media has reported several villages in Kyrgyzstan have refused to allow deceased Christian converts to be buried in local cemeteries
The village governor, Pamir Kutuev, told RFE/RL he would warn against jumping to a conclusion that the fire was a hate-motivated act.
He said: “The church has been operating here since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“There was never an arson attack on the church. There is no religious discord here. Because there were no witnesses, the investigation is proceeding slowly.”