Photos

Statue with ties to tragic fire returns to Our Lady of the Angels

The Blessed Mother statue, honoring the 95 victims and hundreds injured in the tragic Dec. 1, 1958 fire at Our Lady of the Angels School, returned to the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels’ newly renovated outreach center on May 31, 2022 from Church of the Holy Family on Roosevelt with a lights and sirens procession from the Chicago Fire Department. Church of the Holy Family is Chicago's second oldest Catholic church, one of five buildings that survived the Great Chicago Fire. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Workers from Daprato Rigali Studios prepare the statue for mounting on the firetruck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Workers from Daprato Rigali Studios prepare the statue for mounting on the firetruck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Workers from Daprato Rigali Studios prepare the statue for mounting on the firetruck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Workers from Daprato Rigali Studios move the statue. The statue moved from Our Lady of the Angels School to Holy Family after the school closed. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Workers move the statue outside to the firetruck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
First responders process out of Holy Family Church to the firetruck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Bob Lombardo blesses the statue. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
First responders and workers from Daprato Rigali Studios mount the statue to the truck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
That statue arrives at Our Lady of the Angels. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
The statue on its way through Chicago streets. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Franciscan of the Eucharist of Chicago Sister Alicia Torress leads students from Maternity BVM School to the outreach center for a blessing service. Bishop Bob Lombardo blesses the statue. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Firefighters remove the statue from the truck. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
First responders carry the statue into the outreach center. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Lombardo holds the microphone while students from Maternity BVM School sing a song during the blessing service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich delivers remarks during the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
BVM Sister LaDonna Manternach, president of her congregation, delivers remarks at the end of the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A student from Maternity BVM School crowns the statue. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Workers from Daprato Rigali Studios secure the statue to its base, which lists the names of the students and BVM sisters who died in the fire. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
People take photos near the statue. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
The statue in its new home in the outreach center. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

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