Workers were hoping on Tuesday afternoon that a large, ornate cross atop St. Ann's Church would fall and possibly be salvaged.

But that didn't happen.

After a swing of the boom of heavy equipment, the Celtic-style cross came crashing down into rubble and was badly bent.

"It'll be crushed up and scrapped," said Frank Martin of Kutztown, working on demolition of the historic church. Martin is employed by The Building Recyclers. The firm has a crew on site, making short order of the 1911 church that stood as a house of worship and landmark in Lansford for a century.

There is a similar cross at the front of the church, one that appears to have been replated over the years. That one will be addressed later.

Local residents, some former members of the parish, stood and watched and expressed a sense of loss.

"I'm very saddened. I was married here and had confirmation here. I also believe I was baptized here," said Renee Mariotti Novak of Lansford. Novak, an artist, also had done artwork which had been displayed inside the church over the years, including gold leaf detailing of the icons of the Stations of the Cross.

Razing of the brick structure will continue into next week. Among other churches on the list for demolition is Gothic-style St. Katharine Drexel, known by many as the former St. Michael's.

The demolition has been ordered by the Diocese of Allentown despite pleas and protests by the faithful and others concerned about the community's loss of irreplaceable landmarks of religion, heritage and culture.

See additional details in the Times News.