Decades-Old Cross Damaged By Windstorm Back Up At San Gabriel Mission

SAN GABRIEL (CBS) — On this solemn Good Friday, people at the San Gabriel Mission are rededicating a 77-year-old cross that was nearly destroyed in last year's windstorm.

A Dec. 1 windstorm that caused so much damaged in the San Gabriel Valley also brought down a big eucalyptus tree in the historic cemetery at the mission.  Business  manager Al Sanchez says the tree just splintered the life-sized crucifix of Jesus Christ on the 16-foot  cross.

"It was kind of ... heartbreaking, devastating," Sanchez told KNX 1070's Jon Baird.

Sanchez says the reason they decided to unveil and rededicate the cross on Good Friday is because it was originally dedicated nearly 8 decades ago on Good Friday -- even before World War 2.