Is it a miracle? Cross remains unblemished after massive fire burns down St. Joseph Catholic Church in Phoenix

Church fully engulfed in flames
This still clip of video shot by ABC 15 Arizona shows St. Joseph Church fully engulfed in flames

Around midnight on May 1, 2019 a massive fire erupted inside of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Phoenix. Aided by spotlights from a chopper overhead, about 60 fire fighters battled the blaze for several hours before getting it under control.

Everything was destroyed – except for the cross.

silhouette of cross amid church on fire
Video captured by Channel 12 News in Phoenix while the fire was still raging shows the cross standing high above the burned structure.
Cross stands tall with flame glow all around
Photo credit: Phoenix Channel 12 News
Cross is visible amid dark sky and smoke
Amazing! Just 10 days after parishioners celebrated Easter at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Phoenix, a cross stands tall over the rubble of a blaze that resulted in a total loss of the church building on May 1, 2019.

It wasn’t until daybreak that an assessment of the damage could be made. A total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Aerial view of St. Joseph Church after being a total loss by fire
Aerial view of St. Joseph Church the morning of May 1, 2019 shows the sanctuary was completely gutted by fire. The yellow circle shows the location of the cross. Credit AZ Family Channel 3
aerial view of burned out church
In this tighter aerial view, the cross is barely visible standing in the shadow in the upper left view. Credit AZ Family Channel 3
Cross at St. Joseph Church survives devastating fire.
Cross at St. Joseph Church survives devastating fire.

I took the pic above from the adjacent street less than 12 hours after the fire was extinguished. Upon close personal inspection, the cross appears to be made of wood. And from the angle I took the pic, it appears the roof line would have been less than ten feet from the cross. Yet there is no sign of charring or other damage.

Zoom in on cross made of wood
Zoom lens helps confirm cross is made of wood.

Two more interesting points worth noting:

  1. Catholics recognize May 1 as a “Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker”. Joseph was the foster father of Jesus and has earned Saint status in the Catholic faith.
  2. A priest from the Diocese of Phoenix reported that the monstrance from the adoration room was found to be in great shape with the host inside it. Everything else in the room was burned.

Similar mystery at Notre Dame Cathedral

Just a few weeks earlier on the other side of the world, a similar phenomenon took place when the massive April 15 fire destroyed the fabled Notre Dame Cathedral in France. Photos taken after the fire was put out show a cross at the alter standing as if nothing had happened.

Are these signs from the heavens? Even miracles perhaps? What are your thoughts?

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