CALLICOON, N.Y. – On April 12, the Villa Roma Resort, well known by the friars of Holy Name Province, was destroyed in one of the most devastating fires in recent Sullivan County history.
The friars from Callicoon, Jeffersonville and Obernburg have been celebrating Mass each week at the Villa for many years. Villa Roma was the last major resort hotel in operation in Sullivan County.
The main building that contains the kitchen, main dining room, lobby, reservation desk and several rooms was completely destroyed. Despite the disaster, hotel officials say they plan to rebuild.
An Orthodox Jewish group was preparing for the Passover holiday when the fire started in the kitchen oven.