A fire blazed through a nearly 100-year-old church building in San Jose, California on Sunday.
But remarkably, the Catholic congregation’s precious crucifix survived.
Father Fermo Mantovani, the pastor of Holy Cross Parish, remembers watching a firetruck hoist the gilded, 10-foot cross high up into the air and over the building’s charred remains before carefully bringing it back down to earth.
“It was very emotional for all of us,” Mantovani told HuffPost. “I understand it as a miracle.”
The San Jose Fire Department captured the moment in a photograph, showing the firefighters surrounding Jesus to create a striking tableau vivant.
The historic crucifix, made in Italy, was first erected over the altar of the church in 1907, according to the church’s website. Back then, it was Italian immigrants who crowded into the church’s pews. Now, the parish’s 600 families are a diverse mix of Italian, Spanish, and English speakers, with mass said in all three languages every Sunday.
The blaze broke out at around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, mere minutes after Mantovani closed the building after a mass. He noticed smoke hovering over the church’s roof. Rushing back inside, he noticed fire in the choir balcony.
The roof of the building later collapsed.
No one was hurt in the incident. The parish’s adjacent parsonage and church hall remained untouched. The church's treasured Virgin Mary statue was also retrieved from the sanctuary.
The fire was accidental and "probably electrical" in nature, according to Brad McGibben, spokesperson for the San Jose Fire Department.
“We are in mourning and in shock,” Mantovani said. “We are still in the stages of examining things and seeing what happened and what is the cost.”
For now, Holy Cross is conducting masses inside its church hall.
Parishioner Ann Fitzgerald told Mercury News that she was baptized in the church and has been attending services for 93 years.
"This is a new beginning for Holy Cross. So we will work together and we will have our church,” Fitzgerald said.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.