Maria Lanakila Catholic Church Overview
With its distinctive A-frame architecture rising high above the lush green slopes of the West Maui mountains, Maria Lanakila Catholic Church is an iconic landmark along Honoapiʻilani Highway as it passes through the remote village of Lahaina. Established in 1875, it is one of the oldest Catholic churches in continuous operation in Hawaii.
Historical Significance of the Church
Maria Lanakila, meaning “Victorious Mary” in the Hawaiian language, has immense historical significance for the local community. It was first built to serve Catholic parishioners converting from native Hawaiian beliefs during the 19th century.
The current A-frame structure was constructed in 1962 to replace an older Spanish-influenced building on-site. For over 15 decades, its soaring 70-foot tall walls and towering steeple have stood as a monument to the blending of cultures and faiths.
Architecture and Features
Community Role
The architecturally striking edifice features beam ceilings sloping upward to join at sharp angles. Stained glass from France makes up many of the church’s 30 windows arranged in an asymmetrical pattern. Inside, visitors find hand-carved statues, stations of the cross, and religious relics that date back generations. The church’s most prized possession is a 19th century pipe organ imported from Austria, which fills its vaulted chamber with melodies during regular services.
Beyond just services, Maria Lanakila serves as a community gathering place and keeper of local history in Lahaina. Its spacious hall hosts meetings, concerts, dances, funerals, and more that unite all creeds and backgrounds from miles around. Historical artifacts tell tales of the area’s rich past. For both churchgoers and curious visitors alike, it provides an enriching glimpse into West Maui’s diverse culture.
The 2021 Maui Wildfires
In July 2021, parched conditions and strong winds fueled devastating wildfires across parts of Maui. The sprawling blazes stretched over tens of thousands of acres, testing firefighters and wreaking havoc island-wide.
Path of Destruction
The largest fire ignited in the southern slopes of the dormant Haleakalā volcano before spreading rapidly northwest past communities in Central Maui. Over the course of a week it burned a wide swath through dry brush and grasslands leading towards more populated coastal areas.
Authorities ordered over 500 households to evacuate as flames neared residential developments.
Environmental Impact
The fires left behind scorched earth and clouds of ash over 18,000 acres, damaging native species’ habitats and watershed areas relied on by local agriculture. Air quality warnings were in place for weeks due to lingering smoke and haze. Ecologists predict it may take decades for certain sensitive high-altitude environments to fully recover.
Threat to Maria Lanakila Catholic Church
With wildfires raging largely unchecked, remote Maria Lanakila Catholic Church and its irreplaceable historical contents lay directly in the path of devastation.
Fire Approaches the Church
By July 12, first responders detected spot fires as near as a half-mile from the church grounds. At risk were not just the physical building but over a century’s worth of artifacts inside that embody generations of parish history.
Faced with winds pushing walls of flames closer each hour, the fate of the beloved community landmark grew uncertain.
Preparing for Potential Damage
As smoke plumes darkened skies above the church, emergency crews hurried to clear brush and vegetation around the perimeter they feared could fuel the nearing wildfire. Inside, a team of volunteers carefully gathered and removed statues, paintings, carvings, and relics to prevent potential ruin.
Expecting an imminent threat, they prepared for the worst possible scenario.
How the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church Survived Unscathed?
While the fires continued to devastate large swathes of the island countryside, Maria Lanakila Catholic Church miraculously emerged from the ordeal completely unharmed.
Change in Wind Direction
Just as flames encircled within 100 yards on July 14, bringing searing heat and embers, wind patterns suddenly shifted directions towards the northwest. This drove the fire front further uphill and away from the church, sparing it from damage as the wildfires ultimately moved on.
Firefighter Intervention
The change in winds granted firefighters a critical opening to contain the fire’s advance towards the church. Having earlier cleared the area of potential fuel sources, they utilized strategic water drops via helicopters and set controlled fires to burn away remaining dry vegetation and create fire breaks around the church perimeter. This allowed it to withstand the firestorm unscathed.
Water Drops
Repeated targeted buckets of water continually soaked drought-stricken grasses and shrubs bordering the church. This created moisture barriers that slowed flames, cooling the area and stopping creeping ground fires short of church walls.
Controlled Burns
With the church temporarily saved, firefighters conducted burns of high-risk vegetation to both sides, intentionally scorching the earth to leave nothing for the wildfires to consume. As flames burned out the last remaining adjacent fuels, Maria Lanakila endured the passing inferno free of damage.
Aftermath and Recovery
Although much of the island found itself reeling with losses in the fires’ aftermath, as residents returned, Maria Lanakila Church stood undamaged; its familiar steeple still cutting the skyline.
Assessing the Damage
Before allowing parishioners back to services, inspectors carefully examined both interior and exterior, confirming the absence of any structural harm. Air quality tests also ensured lingering smoke dissipated to safe levels. The sole evidence of the threat it faced is a layer of ash washed from its walls and windows.
Reopening Its Doors
On July 25, after two weeks that left the community gripped with uncertainty, Maria Lanakila’s heavy wooden doors opened wide again to welcome relieved crowds eager to give blessings and thanks within its cherished halls. Though much recovery work remains island-wide, the unscorched church continues bringing normalcy, continuity, and healing to its still-standing home.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Maria Lanakila Catholic Church first built?
Maria Lanakila Catholic Church was first built in 1875, making it one of Hawaii’s oldest Catholic churches still operating today.
What style of architecture does the church feature?
The present-day church utilizes a distinctive A-frame architectural style with steeply sloped beam ceilings joining high overhead.
Why are the contents inside the church valuable?
Many irreplaceable items within date back over a century, like hand-carved statues, Stations of the Cross, and a 19th century Austrian pipe organ.
How close did the 2021 Maui wildfire get to the church?
Flames ultimately reached within 100 yards before wind changes and firefighter efforts intervened to divert the fires further uphill.
How did Maria Lanakila emerge undamaged?
Strategic vegetation removal, water drops, controlled burns, and a sudden wind shift steering fires away left the church intact amidst the island’s destruction.
