A fire tears through the Vondelkerk church tower in Amsterdam on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Remko DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images/Netherlands OUTJan 2, 2026 / 12:10 pm (CNA).A Jan. 1 fire destroyed a historic Dutch former Catholic church building in Amsterdam, reducing the famed 150-year-old building mostly to ash in a matter of hours.Firefighters reportedly responded to a fire at the Vondelkerk, or Vondel Church, around 1 a.m. on New Year's Day, with the blaze ultimately consuming nearly all of the building and mostly leaving burned walls behind.The burned walls of the Vondelkerk are seen in Amsterdam, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: KOEN VAN WEEL/Getty ImagesThe historic church was built in 1880 by Pierre Cuypers, a famed Dutch architect known for designing dozens of churches in the Netherlands. Formerly of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam, the building was sold in 1979 and deconsecrated, a formal act by the Church to remove the sacred character of the church ...
A fire tears through the Vondelkerk church tower in Amsterdam on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Remko DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images/Netherlands OUT
Jan 2, 2026 / 12:10 pm (CNA).
A Jan. 1 fire destroyed a historic Dutch former Catholic church building in Amsterdam, reducing the famed 150-year-old building mostly to ash in a matter of hours.
Firefighters reportedly responded to a fire at the Vondelkerk, or Vondel Church, around 1 a.m. on New Year's Day, with the blaze ultimately consuming nearly all of the building and mostly leaving burned walls behind.
The burned walls of the Vondelkerk are seen in Amsterdam, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: KOEN VAN WEEL/Getty Images
The historic church was built in 1880 by Pierre Cuypers, a famed Dutch architect known for designing dozens of churches in the Netherlands. Formerly of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam, the building was sold in 1979 and deconsecrated, a formal act by the Church to remove the sacred character of the church so it is no longer considered a dedicated sacred space for divine worship. After a century of use as a sacred space, the building was eventually renovated for use as an event venue.
The property owner Stadsherstel Amsterdam ("Urban Restoration Amsterdam") said in a statement that the fire caused the church's tower to fall into the nave. Photos show the building completely gutted as of Jan. 2.
"The loss of this beautiful church touches us all," the restoration group said. "Our thoughts go out to the local residents, the regular tenants of the church who have lost their workplace, and to the people who had booked the Vondelkerk for their wedding, company party, concert, or other special moments."
"We are doing everything we can to see what we can do for them in the coming days," the group said. The organization added it was launching a crowdfunding campaign to help restore the building.
It was not immediately clear what started the fire. No deaths or injuries were reported.
The news comes shortly after a deadly fire in Switzerland killed dozens at a ski resort in Crans-Montana.
Pope Leo XIV expressed mourning over the Swiss fire in a telegram to Sion Bishop Jean-Marie Lovey, offering prayers "to the Lord to welcome the deceased into his dwelling of peace and light, and to support the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies."
A fire tears through the Vondelkerk church tower in Amsterdam on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Remko DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images/Netherlands OUTJan 2, 2026 / 12:10 pm (CNA).A Jan. 1 fire destroyed a historic Dutch former Catholic church building in Amsterdam, reducing the famed 150-year-old building mostly to ash in a matter of hours.Firefighters reportedly responded to a fire at the Vondelkerk, or Vondel Church, around 1 a.m. on New Year's Day, with the blaze ultimately consuming nearly all of the building and mostly leaving burned walls behind.The burned walls of the Vondelkerk are seen in Amsterdam, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: KOEN VAN WEEL/Getty ImagesThe historic church was built in 1880 by Pierre Cuypers, a famed Dutch architect known for designing dozens of churches in the Netherlands. Formerly of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam, the building was sold in 1979 and deconsecrated, a formal act by the Church to remove the sacred character of the church ...
Archbishop Dermot Farrell of the Dublin Archdiocese speaks at a Mass at St. Mary's in Dublin on Nov. 14, 2025. Farrell spoke at a Mass on Jan. 1, 2026, the World Day of Peace, calling on politicians to promote peace. | Credit: John McElroy/Dublin ArchdioceseJan 2, 2026 / 12:58 pm (CNA).In his New Year's Day homily at Newtownpark Avenue Church in Dublin, Archbishop Dermot Farrell called upon Ireland's politicians to show leadership in promoting peace and in how they communicate and articulate it.The archbishop was speaking at a Mass for the World Day of Peace where apostolic nuncio Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor and Archbishop Emeritus Diarmuid Martin were among the concelebrants.His appeal comes at a time when Ireland's traditional neutrality has come under scrutiny and as the country prepares to take over the EU presidency in the second half of 2026, where defense will be high on the agenda. The presidency of the Council of the European Union is a role that rotates...
Credit: Jonathan Weiss/ShutterstockJan 2, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).Many people who receive assistance through anti-poverty programs faced disruptions in 2025, and Catholic Charities' wish list for 2026 includes government support for food assistance and housing.The largest disruption came in October when food stamps received through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were delayed amid the government shutdown. Funding for rental and heating assistance were also disrupted.Confusion about how to implement a memo in January from the Office of Management and Budget calling for a grant freeze also caused delays in funding related to health care, housing affordability, and food assistance.Luz Tavarez, vice president of government relations at Catholic Charities USA, said "people get nervous and scared" amid disruptions.Many Catholic Charities affiliates saw an influx in clients, especially during the shutdown, but Tavarez said there are "very poor people who rely on...
A fire tears through the Vondelkerk church tower in Amsterdam on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Remko DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images/Netherlands OUT
