INDIANAPOLIS – Bricks that were laid 150 years ago at the corner of Pennsylvania and Walnut Streets came down on Christmas Eve down after a devastating fire destroyed the historic church-turned-event venue.
In recent years, The Sanctuary on Penn was where something old met something new – built in 1875, the gothic revival landmark has been the backdrop to countless special memories.
“It’s a beautiful building and that’s why we chose it,” said upcoming groom Michael Singer. “It’s very pretty inside, we fell in love with it.”
Michael Singer and his fiancé, Elaine Anderson, planned to get married there on October 18, 2025. They’re now scrambling to find a replacement venue.
“My fiancé works nights at St. Vincent hospital, she’s an ICU nurse there. She came home this morning at about 8 o’clock and was pretty distraught,” Singer said. “I told her, ‘are you kidding me? On Christmas Eve and our wedding is less than a year away?’.”
Singer’s also concerned about the $11,000 they’ve already invested to book it.
“I feel terrible, awful. Not only because we have a wedding here but for others who have a wedding here too, and the fact that this is a historic landmark,” he added.
Fire officials say crews first got there at 5:42 in the morning, the roof collapsing about half an hour later. By the time the last of the flames were extinguished, nothing could be done to save the building. Demolition began around noon.
“It was a lot of different kinds of events, so it’s going to affect a broad spectrum of the community,” said Tim Schneider, who has attended several events at The Sanctuary.
“I actually got into photography because of this venue and became their recommended photographer soon after,” said photographer Mariah Handlon.
For those like Mariah Handlon, who’s worked at The Sanctuary over seven years, there could never be a replacement for it.
“The stained glass and the lighting that came in was like none other. The colors that were chosen for inside were very unique,” Handlon said. “Not having it is going to be very hard, not being here almost every weekend.”
FOX59/CBS4 reached out to the owners but at the time of this article’s publishing hadn’t received a response. In a brief statement posted to social media, the owners wrote: “We will update folks after the holidays. For now, we grieve. Wishing you all well.”
“I just think of the brides who pour so much of their time and their heart into planning their wedding. So this is devastating,” said upcoming bride Missy Patton, who was considering The Sanctuary as a venue.
“Here it is, it’s Tuesday, Christmas Eve. We know there’s probably a Friday, Saturday or Sunday wedding coming up. We just can’t imagine what those folks are going through,” said Patton’s fiancé, Justin Rainwater.
About 170 people in the area lost power briefly while crews fought the fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, according to the Indianapolis Fire Department.
