New York Church to Be Converted Into Mosque

A Catholic church in Buffalo, New York, is being converted into a mosque after a Muslim group purchased the property.

The St. Ann Church complex was sold for $250,000 after having been largely out of use since 2012 due to structural damage issues posing a safety threat, according to the Buffalo News. The property was sold to Buffalo Crescent Holdings, which is affiliated with the Downtown Islamic Center, according to the outlet.

The church’s sale has sparked backlash on social media after posts by a well-known Catholic priest, Father Ronald Vierling, drew attention to the sale. The posts on X had gained nearly 2 million views at the time of writing.

“St. Anne’s Church, Buffalo, NY. Permanently closed. Sold to the Islamic community for $250,000 who are converting the historic church into a mosque,” Vierling wrote.

Some critics took issue with the fact that it was being converted into a mosque, while others were surprised at the low sale price.

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“Muslims get a church for $250k but I can’t buy a house in a decent neighborhood for less than $500k,” another X user wrote.

The church was built in 1886 by German immigrants. It had fallen into disrepair and become unusable for worshippers in recent years.

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