Historic Maui Church Untouched By Devastating Blaze

“It’s like a miracle”

A historic Catholic church in Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui appears to have been mostly untouched by the deadly blaze that destroyed the city and claimed nearly 100 lives last week.

Maria Lanakila, or Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, was established in 1846 by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Mary and Jesus and given the building that is miraculously still standing in the 1870s.

While drone footage of Lahaina reveals a city that has been nearly entirely burned to the ground, at least one social media user has shared footage of Maria Lanakila standing, seemingly unscathed by the inferno.

The church serves between 700 and 800 families according to The Blaze, and contains historic artwork rumored to have been gifted by Hawaiian royalty.

"Basically what we know is the fact that all of Lahaina Town has been consumed by fire. It’s all gone. The church, Maria Lanakila [Our Lady of Victory], is still standing,” Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, the pastor of St. Anthony’s, told The Pillar.

Maria Lanakila’s pastor Fr. Fr. Kuriakose Nadooparambil reported that the church’s staff managed to escape the fire to safety.

Sadly, another historic Maui church was engulfed by the flames; the Waiola Church, home to Hawaii’s first Christian cemetery, was destroyed in the flames.

We stand in prayer with all of those impacted by this crippling disaster. Pray for Maui, particularly our brothers and sisters in Christ.