When St. Annes burned, more than priceless art was lost [Video]

I’ve lived at a distance from my old church for the past seven years. Life conspired, as life often does, to change where and when I go for community connection. But when I saw the first social media post (complete with video) about an all-consuming blaze at St. Anne’s Anglican in Toronto’s west end, it came as a punch in the gut. That was a home and refuge going up in flames.

Much has already been written about the great loss to Canadian art and architecture from the destruction of St. Anne’s. Irreplaceable and, frankly, priceless early works by Group of Seven painters Frederick Varley, J.E.H MacDonald, and Franklin Carmichael adorned the apse, nave, and pendentives of St. Anne’s famously radical Byzantine dome. Biblical scenes in bold, often transgressive, style (old Fred Varley painted himself into The Nativity as a rather sexy young shepherd). Decorative flourishes flowed and sparkled throughout against a palette of coral pink, cream, gold …