BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- A painful memory for one Brooklyn parish has turned into a moment of renewal.
Religious statues destroyed outside St. Dominic’s Church in Bensonhurst have been beautifully rebuilt.
A neighbor's cellphone video captured the dramatic moment a man destroyed the statues of Pope Saint John XXIII and Mother Teresa outside St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church in Bensonhurst. But on Wednesday, the scene was very different, as two newly restored figures stood in their place.
Church members Barbera and Immacolata visited the site and were pleasantly surprised to see the newly refinished statues for the first time.
Barbera said, “People have to be sick to do something like that.” Immacolata added, “They did a beautiful job, we’re happy to see it back in place, but I just hope that nobody disturbs it again.”
After nearly a year, the statues now stand proudly in their original spots, thanks to the support and donations from parishioners and the local community. Police quickly arrested a man who was also accused of breaking the church’s glass doors during the same rampage.
The old statues were made of fiberglass and broke very easily, but the new ones are bronze and weatherproof, so they will last for many years.
Deacon Anthony Mammoliti said, “Good always triumphs over evil.” He spoke about how meaningful it was to have the statues return during this important season for the Church, saying the timing made their restoration even more special. “We are in the Easter season, and it’s so fitting that the Easter season reminds us of new life, resurrection,” Deacon Anthony said.
He explained that the statues are now a strong symbol for the community, especially as the Church picks a new pope. “These beautiful statues have been resurrected to a certain extent as a constant reminder that the love of Christ is present here at St. Dominic’s Church,” he said. “It’s also fitting that as we come to elect our new Pope, this statue is very symbolic.”
Many months after a neighbor’s cellphone video captured the destruction, the site tells a different story, with the new statues standing proudly for everyone to see.
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