Prosecutors say it appears that the fire inside the 15th-century cathedral was deliberately started.
A church volunteer admitted to starting a fire that devastated the cathedral in the French city of Nantes last week, his lawyer said.
The Rwandan refugee, who was working as a warden at the cathedral, was arrested again on Saturday night.
No reason has been given for the fire, which destroyed the cathedral’s 17th-century organ, as well as the historic stained glass windows.
His lawyer told reporters that his client felt “relief” after confessing.
“It is someone who is scared, who is somehow overwhelmed,” his lawyer, Quentin Chabert, was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.
The 39-year-old unnamed volunteer was initially detained for questioning after the fire, but was later released without charge.
He had been in charge of locking up the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral the day before the July 18 fire.
Authorities had previously said that the fire was believed to have been started and had started in three different locations.
Nantes prosecutor Pierre Sennes said Saturday that the man had been charged with “destruction and fire damage” and that he could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of € 150,000 ($ 175,000; £ 135,000), according to the agency. from AFP news.
Around 100 firefighters managed to prevent the flames from destroying the main structure of the cathedral. French Prime Minister Jean Castex praised his “professionalism, courage and self-control”.
The fire comes about 15 months after a fire nearly destroyed the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
