CALAIS (AP) – A bolt of lightning has been blamed for a fire that destroyed the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, the third church in this eastern Maine city to be gutted by flames in 13 years.

The morning after the fire, parishioners held Sunday services next door, at the First Congregational Church of Calais.

“It’s a blessing we could be here for them,” the Rev. Dianne Graham of the Congregational church said as the Catholic members filed into their temporary place of worship. “They are resilient, wonderful people.”

Calais residents aren’t strangers to church fires. In 1992, the 119-year-old First Congregational Church went up in flames. In 2001, fire destroyed the Second Baptist Church, which was more than 100 years old.

Immaculate Conception, located at Calais Avenue and Washington Street, was 18 years old and had about 500 members.

On Saturday, shortly after midnight, a severe thunderstorm rumbled into the area. Lightning lit up the sky and a bolt of lightning struck both the church and the St. Croix Masonic Hall less than a block away.

Flames raced across the church roof and swallowed up the large golden cross on top of the church cupola.

Neighbors notified the Calais Fire Department, but firefighters were already at the Masonic Hall.

Just as a dispatcher was radioing firefighters about the new fire, a woman ran toward them yelling that the church was on fire. Several firefighters turned to look and saw an orange glow in the sky.

Fire Chief Danny Carlow immediately sent firefighters to the church and called for help from surrounding communities. But the fire spread fast and burned the church, the nearby rectory and most of their contents – except for a statue of the Virgin Mary.

In the church entryway, its hands clasped in prayer, the statue stood in a ray of sunshine Saturday morning. The roof had collapsed around it, setting up a protective barrier from the unforgiving fire.

As word spread among parishioners Saturday morning that the statue had not burned, there was a sense of awe.

“It’s a miracle,” parishioner Gloria Hollingdale said. “This is a big message for us. All we have to do is just pay attention to it.”