Man charged with arson after historic New Brunswick Catholic church burned to ground

A 68-year-old New Brunswick man has been charged with arson after a historic Catholic church on the Acadian Peninsula was destroyed by fire, in a follow-up to reports of the suspicious blaze earlier this week.

According to the Telegraph-Journal, Gilles Mallet of Saint-Simon was arrested and charged Tuesday in Bathurst Provincial Court in connection with the fire that destroyed Saint-Simon Catholic Church.

The church, believed to have been approximately 108 years old and the largest wooden church in New Brunswick, was reduced to rubble early Monday morning. Only a stone chimney remained standing.

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Horrific scenes as the steeple collapses at Saint Simon church as it burns to the ground

A 68 year old man has been arrested for the anti Catholic terror attack pic.twitter.com/NbAKLUE19d

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) August 26, 2026

Caraquet Fire Chief Luc Dugas previously said the cir***stances appeared suspicious from the outset. Alarms were reportedly triggered in the church basement at approximately 3:30 a.m., shortly before firefighters received the call at 3:38 a.m.

The RCMP said the building was unoccupied at the time.

Police have not publicly identified a possible motive for the alleged arson.

Mallet was remanded into custody following his court appearance and is scheduled for a bail hearing on Aug. 28. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.