'You're helping the devil': 5 arrested protesting the move of the La Pieta statue from St. Adalbert's Church
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After months of delay and a number of protests, a statue has finally been removed from the now-closed St. Adalbert's church in Pilsen.
But it wasn't moved without a fight. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray from the church where the statue now sits. The La Pieta statue is now safely inside St. Paul's Church, but there was a lot commotion to get it here.
The outcry begins back at St. Adalbert. The removal of the beloved La Pieta statue of St Adalbert church in Pilsen has left parishioners angered and upset.
"I hope you guys know you're helping the devil."
In hopes of stopping the statue from being removed, several stood in front of flatbed that was transferring it to another church.
"Come on guys, get on the sidewalk."
They refused to move.
"This is your first warning."
in the end, police arrested five St. Adalbert parrishioners. Rosa Ivanez talked to CBS 2 before officers hauled her away.
"I felt like my heart was breaking. A part of my soul was breaking because they don't need to do that," Ivanez said.
The parrish has been trying to move the statue since late August, but the plan to do so was stalled due to issues with permits.
"It's emotional. Being born and raised in this community all my life. A parrishioner here, a choir boy. I played the guitar here all my life. I saw my siblings get married in this church. It's an emotional day," said Javier Yanez.
The 6,000-pound statue, a marble replica of Michelangelo's Pieta, went from St. Adalbert Catholic Church to St. Paul's Catholic Church, where crews ran into several issues of getting the statue into its new home.
The Archdiocese of Chicago said in a statement "It was the decision of the people of St. Paul Parish, which includes the former St. Adalbert Parish, to move the statue to their active, vibrant church."
The archdiocese said the statue will replace a previous statue inside St. Paul's Catholic Church. In the meantime, parishioners fear with the beloved statue gone, the closed church now faces the wrecking ball.