Police identify suspect in Easter Sunday fire at Roman Catholic church

Toronto police have identified the suspect in a fire at a Roman Catholic church on Sunday that prompted the cancellation of Easter masses.

The fireat St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church is believed to be deliberately set. No one was injured in the blaze.

Police said they are searching for 43-year-old Marc Porlier, of no fixed address. He isknown to frequentthe Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue, and Weston Road and Jane Street areas.

Security camera images of Porlier have been released.

Const. Jenifferjit Sidhusaid the suspect has a history with police. If he is seen, members of the public are asked not to approach him.

Police received a call about the fire at the church, 49 George St., near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West, at 8:05 a.m. Toronto fire officials said the fire was out by 8:14a.m.

NeilMacCarthy, communications director for the Archdioceseof Toronto, said someone threw a "small firebomb" through a window into the church.

Staff preparing for the 9:00 a.m. mass atthe church discovered the fire and called police and fire officials.

"This is the most joyful day for Christians around the world Easter Sunday. So you havepeople who were arriving here in their Sunday best for Easter and learning the news of an act of vandalism and violence against their church. They're shocked. Some people were in tears, asking how could this happen," MacCarthysaid.

"It's very distressing for the community. It hits close to home."

'My knees are shaking'

Parishioner JessieBoadocalled the incident shocking. "My knees are shaking," he said Sunday morning.

Boadosaid "not even in his nightmares" could he imagine such an act. He said he has no idea why someone would set a church on fire.

MacCarthysaid the church is assessing the damage and will determine in the next couple of days when it will reopen.

District Chief Mike Lester, spokesperson forToronto Fire Services, said firefighters encountered heavy smoke when they arrived within minutes of getting the call, but the fire had actually put itself out. Six fire trucks and more than 20firefighters responded to the call.

The church was filled with smoke and a window was broken from the outside. Lester said the fire was found inside a window and a "substance" was found at the scene.

A rug caught fire and the fire was contained to a small area inthe back of the church, he said, with total damage estimated to be around $5,000.

Fire investigators are trying to determine the cause, Lestersaid.

No one injured in fire

The Weston Historical Society said in a Facebook post that Easter masses at the church werecancelled due to the fire.

"As to whether this is a terrorist act, or whether it is the act of some pea-brained individual, we'll have to wait and see what comes of the investigation and as to whether or not security cameras picked up anything," the post reads.