Vandalism inside Holy Family Cathedral in downtown Anchorage was discovered Tuesday evening. A police spokesperson said many items of furniture had been flipped over.
The incident was a crime of opportunity, said Rev. Steven Moore with the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
"It does not appear it was anybody with a religious objection," he said. "It was a random act."
Holy Family is open to the public during the day, he said. The clergy have been adamant about maintaining that openness during the past several years, Moore said.
The Catholic church is located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and H Street, nestled among downtown businesses. People are in and out of the church all day, Moore said.
The Anchorage Police Department was informed of the incident just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, said spokesperson Jennifer Castro.
"Someone at the church reported what had happened," Castro said. "Everything had been turned over." Various pieces of church property, such as tables, chairs and vases, were overturned. "Anything that was moveable, they flipped it."
Wiring also had been ripped, police said Wednesday evening.
A statue and the pulpit were pulled to the ground, as well, said Moore. He said he was unaware of vandalism occurring within another Alaska church in the recent past, if ever.
Church staff told police they believe the crime happened between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The mess has been cleaned, Moore said.
Police have not arrested anyone for the vandalism, Castro said.
According to the cathedral's website, the parish is approaching its 100th birthday, having been established in 1915 when railroad construction workers asked a bishop to send priests for a small group of local Catholics.
Moore said the parish is committing to "figuring out how to maintain having an open building. It's a risk, a balance between offering people a space for quiet reflection and the protection of the church."
Two years ago, the church instituted new policies governing behavior on its grounds after parishioners and two priests were reportedly attacked.