THROUGHOUT the day, they came to St MacNissis's to see the damage. They stood in silence, surveying the charred remains of their church many were in tears.
"I heard about the fire on the news but I couldn't believe anyone would do a thing like that," one elderly woman said. "I had to come down here and see for myself."
The arsonists had worked while the congregation slept. Fire swept through the church on the Magheralane Road in Randalstown, Co Antrim, just after 4 a.m. on Saturday. A family living nearby woke the parish priest, Father William McKeever.
The fire brigade was called but by that stage little could be done.
Less than an hour later, there was another arson attack on St Comgall's Church a few miles away on the Dublin Road in Antrim.
Later still, the windows of St Patrick's Church of Ireland Hall in Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, were damaged in an arson attack.
The RUC believes that one gang was responsible for both fires in Co Antrim. No one claimed responsibility but loyalists are widely believed to have been involved.
Firefighters managed to contain the fire at St Comgall's to the annex, which was destroyed. The rest of the building suffered smoke and water damage.
St MacNissis's wasn't so lucky. Twelve hours after the blaze, the smell of smoke was still overpowering. The entire building was destroyed. Apart from the cross outside towering defiantly over the debris, it was impossible to tell it had ever been a church. There was no altar, no pews, no tabernacle. The stained glass windows were blown out, the roof had fallen in.
The heat of the fire had been so intense it had collapsed walls more effectively than any bulldozer. Thick steel girders had melted like plastic. Whatever remained was buckled, twisted and warped.
The fire had shown no mercy to the once carefully tended grounds. The grass and trees were burnt black. Someone had laid a bunch of daffodils under a charred tree and the small yellow offering shone amid the rubble.
"This church meant the world to us," Father McKeever said. "It was a peaceful, prayerful place, a home away from home for many. People were married here, their children baptised and confirmed here. It's like losing a relative."
Father McKeever would say nothing about the arsonists except that he hoped the RUC would catch them.
Inter community relations in Randalstown were good, he insisted. Three local Protestant ministers arrived on his doorstep at 7 a.m. to express their sympathy.
Randalstown is a beautiful little town with old, stone bridges and fine cottages. Shane's Castle sits right in the centre on the River Mann. Randalstown was once a solidly Protestant town but over the years more Catholics have moved in - mostly lower middle class people. Many observers believe Catholics will soon be in the majority in the town - the red, white and blue kerbstones and Union Jacks in some streets suggest not everyone welcomes the changing demography.
The original Catholic church which had served the village for nearly two centuries was replaced by a larger one 25 years ago. "Our church was attacked by arsonists because it was a symbol of the expanding Catholic population here," one local man said.
A loyalist right to march parade had been held in Portadown, Co Armagh, the previous night; the man said he believed such rallies raised the political temperature.
One woman said it was "frightening to think your neighbours would do something like this". Another parishioner said: "We thought these attacks only happened in Belfast."
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said arson attacks on Catholic churches were as reprehensible as attacks on Orange halls.
St MacNissis's 800 families will use the parish hall until their church is rebuilt. Saying Mass there yesterday, the Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Patrick Walsh, described the attack as an abomination.
Many local Protestants also expressed their anger. "It's a terrible thing to harm a place of worship," said one man.
person could condone it."
One of the Protestant clerics who visited St MacNissis's was a Church of Ireland minister, the Rev James Wilson. "This is a very sad day and a very sorry sight to see," he said. "Father McKeever, is obviously distraught, as anyone would be if their church was burnt to the ground. We have come together to say how sorry we are.
The Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, Dr James Moore, said he was shocked by the attack: "Churches are special because they are where we take our lives and our needs to God. To seed them damaged or destroyed is to feel part of ourselves taken away."
It is estimated that it will cost at least £750,000 to rebuild St MacNissis's. Parishioners, although down hearted, are determined to raise the money.