Historic French basilica partially destroyed by fire

The Saint-Donatien, a 19th century French basilica in Nantes, was partly destroyed after morning mass on Monday when a fire broke out on the roof. Over 40 firefighters worked to extinguish the flames:

An "extremely important symbol" to the region’s Catholic community, the Bishop of Nantes originally built the Saint-Donatien in 490, in honor of two martyred brothers, Donatien and Rogatien, whose bodies are buried in the basilica's crypt. The Saint-Donatien was later ruined by Norman invaders and rebuilt in 980; the current structure is from an 1804 rebuilding that followed the partial destruction of its predecessor during the French Revolution.

Monday's fire is believed to have started during "waterproofing work," which involved welding on the basilica's roof; more than three-quarters of the roof was destroyed by the blaze.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.