An historic 140-year-old Catholic church in Buffalo, New York, has been deliberately set on fire twice in four days, marking the third blaze at the site this year, with investigators confirming arson. The former St. Ann's Church and Shrine, built in 1886, was sold in 2022 by the Diocese of Buffalo to Buffalo Crescent Holdings, Inc., a company affiliated with the Downtown Islamic Center. The stated plan was to convert the complex into an Islamic center, after it had been vacant since 2013. Local officials, including Council Member Leah Halton-Pope and Preservation Buffalo Niagara executive director Bernice Radle, expressed frustration over the owners' unresponsiveness and failure to secure the building. Mayor Sean Ryan's office is exploring legal options to compel the owner to maintain the property, as taxpayers will not cover the estimated $2 million demolition costs. The owners claim lack of funds for upkeep, despite intentions to develop it as a community center for Buffalo's Bengali community. This incident is part of a broader pattern across the West where historic Christian churches are burning, often ruled as arson or with unknown causes, and suspects rarely caught. Examples include the 1863 South Bushwick Reformed Church in Brooklyn, which was gutted by arson and subsequently ordered for demolition despite restoration plans. In Canada, church arsons more than doubled after 2021, with over 100 churches burned or vandalized and few charges filed. France has seen a significant rise in fires and arson attempts at Christian sites, with one religious building disappearing every two weeks. In the UK, historic churches face numerous attacks, yet government outrage and funding for security are primarily directed at mosques following incidents. This consistent pattern across the West involves historic churches burning, investigations leading to vague results, preservation efforts being blocked, and subsequent demolition, while selective official outrage is reserved for other sites.