In June 2023, a message spread on social networks that in the United States to the temple, where the wedding ceremony of representatives of LGBT was held, lightning struck and, as a result of a fire that had begun, the building collapsed. We checked how justified such publications are.

Roller s signatures It seems like “in Boston, Lightning struck the temple after the“ marriage of LGBT ”began to gain popularity on the Russian -speaking Internet since June 6. On video Duration of just over 20 seconds. You can see only a burning, and then a collapsing building. Payers distributing a record report that the zipper hit the church either right during the conclusion of a single -sex marriage, or immediately after, and some Facebook users called Her "Church of LGBT supporters." In the Russian -speaking Telegram, the plot also received Some popularity-publications in several tens of relatively small channels gained about 200,000 views and thousands of homophobic comments in which the idea of God's punishment of the LGBT community is broadcast. A little earlier this plot spread in other languages, for example French And English.

In most cases, a fire of fire was published in poor quality, but in one version the Boston 25 News logo is visible. This television channel, like other media, was illuminated by a fire in the Church in the town of Spencer near Boston. On Friday, June 2, 2023, by message The Spencer Police Department caught fire of the Church of the Woster district, in which the community of local Christians, belonging to the First Congregationalist Church, gathered. Fire extinguishing details can be seen in Report Paul Shi photographer, who shared Spencer Fire Service on her Facebook page.

Boston 25 News and USA Today With reference to experts, they argue that the fire really arose as a result of a zipper in the bell tower. This confirmed And Bruce Parsons, the head of the Spencer Fire Service, adding that there was nobody in the building at the time of the fire. Pastor Bruce Maclaud also reportedThat the church was empty on June 2. The building, built in 1772 and restored after a fire in 1862, was wooden, it was this feature of the design that firefighters and the pastor himself are called the main reason that it burned so quickly.

As for the support of LGBT, then publications On the temple page on Facebook Confirmthat the community is really friendly to gays, as well as the Congregationalist Church, which accepts parishioners, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender. Same -sex marriages in Massachusetts allowedBut the information about the conclusion of such unions in the Church of Spencer was neither on the day of the fire or earlier to find. Judging by the temple page on Facebook and the schedule of its work, available in web archiveOn that day, no marriage could be held in the church at all: on Fridays, the service, in principle, is not held, and the parish office is closed.

Thus, the first congregationalist church in the city of Spencer (not in Boston) was indeed destroyed by lightning on June 2, 2023. However, no one died in the fire, and marriage (neither single-sex, nor heterosexual) or any other services were held that day in the temple-the police and fire department confirm that the church was empty.

Photo on the cover: Spencer Police Department