Fri Sep 20 07:00:25 UTC 2024: ## Angel of Harmony Sculpture Vandalized in St. Louis
**ST. LOUIS (AP) -** A 25-year-old sculpture outside the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis, known as the “Angel of Harmony”, was severely damaged on Tuesday night. Police believe a 35-year-old suspect used construction equipment to knock the sculpture from its pedestal.
The Angel of Harmony, created by Polish sculptor Wiktor Szostalo, stands 14 feet tall and depicts a Black angel protecting three children of different races. It was installed in 1999, months after Pope John Paul II’s visit to the city. The sculpture features over 100 wind chimes on the angel’s wings and the children playing instruments. The pedestal is inscribed with quotes from the New Testament, Pope John Paul II, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The extent of the damage is still being assessed, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that part of one of the children was broken off and the angel’s wings appear to be damaged.
Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski expressed his sadness and hope for restoration in a statement, saying, “The Angel of Harmony has graced the grounds of our city’s Cathedral Basilica since 1999, as a joyful reminder that our diversity is something to be celebrated, that truth, beauty and goodness unite us all.” He continued, “We are still learning about the extent of the damage, with great hope that this special sculpture can be restored.”
The suspect was apprehended after a police dog located him hiding a few blocks from the cathedral. He is facing charges of institutional vandalism, two counts of property damage, tampering, unlawful use of a weapon, and resisting arrest.
The motive for the vandalism is still under investigation. Police are also looking into a separate incident in which the suspect allegedly fired a shot into an unoccupied vehicle.
First Piper 