Santa Barbara police arrested a man on December 2 after he allegedly broke into Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Eastside Santa Barbara and damaged a mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Police officers were dispatched to the parish around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday after a passerby reported hearing glass breaking outside the church. The suspect charged at officers with a hammer upon arrival, according to Santa Barbara Police Department Commander Chris Payne. Police then tased and arrested the suspect.
The suspect, 53-year-old Antonio Dorado Arroyo, was charged with vandalizing a place of worship, felony vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon, and burglary. He is currently incarcerated at the Santa Barbara County Jail with a bail of $50,000 and is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing on December 11.
While Our Lady of Guadalupe is home to a large community of Latino parishioners on Santa Barbara’s Eastside and the attack occurred just a week before the Catholic celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Commander Payne said there is no evidence that religious or racial bias motivated the attack.
Father Pedro Lopez, pastor of the church, arrived on scene as the suspect was taken into custody. He said he was “shocked and saddened” to see the destruction to the image of the parish’s patroness. When the church was founded in 1928, its Italian founders dedicated it to Our Lady of Guadalupe to “bring together the Catholic community from around the area, many of them being Hispanic,” Lopez said.
“Since then, there’s been a great devotion to [Our Lady of Guadalupe] by many people throughout the area of Santa Barbara,” Lopez said. “This mosaic, this shrine, is in her honor, lovingly put together, so the damage that was done to it offends all of that history, and there’s a great hurt because of that.”
The damage to the mosaic, which appears on the outside of a church building, was significant. Tiles and backing mortar were chipped away in four locations, including a large portion of the Virgin Mary’s face. Damage was also sustained to the front and side doors of the parish and several pews.
Lopez is currently discussing a restoration plan with several artists and contractors who have volunteered their services. In the meantime, the parish is preparing to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with feast day celebrations on December 11 and 12.
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