Church Organ Makes Music Again After Eight-Year Silence

An organ felled silent by a lightning strike eight years ago played again Sunday at a landmark St. Louis church. The 47-rank pipe organ at St. Anthony of Padua was nearly destroyed by water damage as firefighters put out a fire that started while 8am mass was being celebrated April 28th, 1994. The fire burned the roof and though the structure of the church building stood firm: fire, smoke and water caused signficant damage. The building was rededicated two years later, but it took much longer to renovate the organ.