The residents of Grímsey island, North Iceland, have turned down the offer of a church building from the Keflavík Airport Firefighting Staff Association, Morgunblaðið reports. Residents are instead fundraising to build a new church after the island’s historic church burned down on September 21.
The staff association offered to give Grímsey residents a church building that is currently located beside the fire station at Keflavík Airport. Alfreð Garðarson, parish council director on Grímsey told Morgunblaðið that while the offer was very generous, residents had decided at a meeting that the church building from Keflavík did not suit the island’s needs.
Grímsey island is the northernmost point of Iceland and has 67 inhabitants. Named Miðgarðakirkja, the church that burned down on the island was built out of driftwood in 1867. The cause of the fire is being investigated, but it is believed to have started from an old electrical panel.
The Bishop of Iceland has stated that the National Church will assist Grímsey residents to the best of its ability in rebuilding the destroyed church.
