Tabernacle Saved Minutes Before Church Collapses After Catastrophic Earthquake in Puerto Rico

This is truly miraculous!

Puerto Rico experienced a 6.4 magnitude earthquake last week, resulting in several injuries and at least one death. The earthquake also caused ruin throughout the island, including the destruction of Immaculate Conception Church in Guayanilla.

Just minutes before the 180-year-old church collapsed from the earthquake’s aftershock, responders, including pastor Fr. Melvin Díaz and Peñuelas resident Fr. Orlando Rivera, rescued the eucharist and tabernacle.

Fr. Rivera gathered Eucharistic hosts spilled inside the untouched tabernacle, and Fr. Díaz retrieved the large Eucharistic host.

Puerto Rico’s Catholic news publication El Visitante told Catholic News Agency that it was “as if the tremor was waiting for the Eucharist to leave in order to continue the destruction.”

The publication added that the priests and Catholic faithful “were heroes of the Eucharist.”

“The faithful took the tabernacle and went out in procession over the rubble. The faithful with the tabernacle, Fr. Orlando with the ciborium, and Fr. Melvin with the large Sacred Host. They went to the rectory a few steps from the parish to protect the Blessed Sacrament with all the dignity it deserves.”

Here’s photos from the tabernacle’s rescue:

@elvisitantepr, Twitter

Here’s a video of the church’s devastation below:

Padre Melvin Díaz Aponte: “Juntos podremos como piedras vivas que somos, levantar el templo material.”

La estructura de la Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción de Guayanilla, de unos 180 años de antigüedad colapsó a causa de los temblores registrados el pasado 7 de enero. pic.twitter.com/73RvG6xwhH

— Jonuel Luis Morales (@JonuelMoralesTV) January 10, 2020

Click here if you cannot see the tweet above.

The translated Twitter post reads, “‘Father Melvin Díaz Aponte: “Together we will be able to build the temple material as living stones.’ The structure of the Immaculate Conception Parish of Guayanilla, about 180 years old, collapsed due to the tremors recorded on January 7.”

Let us pray for Puerto Rico!

Here’s photos from the tabernacle’s rescue:

Here’s a video of the church’s devastation below:

Our Lady of Providence, patroness of Puerto Rico, please pray for them!