A cross was returned to the top of the Atonement Anglican Church on Saguaro Boulevard on Saturday morning, Dec. 15, thanks to the giving heart and talents of a Surprise, Ariz. firefighter.

This past summer the cross that had been atop the church was blown over during a storm. It was later removed from the roof as a precaution against further roof damage and placed against the building until it could be replaced.

In October the 200-pound cross was stolen and efforts to locate it proved unfruitful. The original cross was custom-made in Mexico for the church and donated when the church was built 15 years ago.

There was a story about the theft on a Phoenix-area television station that caught the attention of Randy Frassetto, a firefighter in Surprise who also does artist ironwork as a hobby.

Frassetto offered to make a new cross for the church.

Roofer Drew Schmitt was involved in the process of removing the original cross, making roof repairs and making preparations for the new one to be placed.

Atonement Vicar Fr. John LesCallett said he sees the hand of God in the many moving parts of this process, including the fact that Frassetto had just learned a technique for fabricating metal that he used in the process of making the new cross.

In dedicating and blessing the new cross, LesCallett said, “the cross on the roof symbolizes that this is a place of God, so that people may know that this is a place they can go for love and help.”

LesCallett also had blessings for Frassetto and his fellow first responders. He said a prayer to St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, “watch over all fighters. Protect them from harm in the performance of their duty to fight fire, save lives and preserve property.”

LesCallett also explained that about 30 years ago he was serving on the board for a school that was having a fundraising auction. He said near the end of the evening he realized that he was the only board member who had not bought anything from the auction, and for some reason he decided to purchase a replica of a horse-drawn fire engine and stored it away in a closet for all this time.

“It was purchased so that I might present it to Randy at this time,” LesCallett said.