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California Wildfires: Statue of biblical Mary remains standing amid charred ruins
- A family in California lost their entire house to a devastating fire, but their statue of biblical Mary remained untouched
- It stood in near perfect condition, surrounded by charred debris of what had been their home of 37 years
- “It’s the most interesting and peculiar phenomena that only God understands,” read one of the comments
Amid the devastating wildfires that scorched southern California, a remarkable symbol of hope and faith emerged from the ashes of a California family’s home—a statue of biblical Mary.
California Wildfires: Statue of Biblical Mary Remains Standing Amid Charred Ruins Source: Facebook
In a video that has gone viral on Instagram, the statue remained standing, nearly unscathed, surrounded by smouldering ruins.
It all started when the Halpins’ home of 37 years was reduced to rubble by the destructive Eaton Fire.
Peter Halpin, the family patriarch, shared the emotional story during a media interview, describing the miraculous sight.
“It was remarkable how everything had gotten fried, but the statue of Mary and another of Saint Joseph were in perfect condition,” he said.
However, their unwavering faith led them back to the site last week, despite restrictions from the government.
Surrounded by their six children and other loved ones, the family sang a hymn to the statue, captured in a heartfelt video that has since gone viral on Instagram.
“Our intention was not for this thing to go viral at all,” Peter noted. “It was pretty much just a family thing, but the response from the community has been unbelievable and so heartfelt.”
Peter’s wife, Jackie, recounted her reaction to discovering the statues still standing.
Her son-in-law had visited the site the day before and snapped a photo of the Mary statue, inspiring the family to make their pilgrimage.
“I fell to my knees,” Jackie said. “I knew we had to go there to thank God for the years we spent in that home.”
The family, deeply rooted in their faith, dedicated their home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus years ago, with Jackie sharing her gratitude for the life they built in the house.
“We have entertained a lot for years. We feel very strongly about the virtue of hospitality, so I just wanted to pray and say, ‘If we can do it again, that would be great.’”
Malibu home untouched by LA wildfires
In an almost similar story, a stunning photo of a lone Malibu mansion standing intact while neighbouring homes lay in ruins went viral online.
The house was photographed in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires which have continued to rage for days.
Details indicate that the $8 million (KSh 1 billion) mansion, built in 2000, is owned by waste management CEO David Steiner.