Cross Cut Down At South Orange County Christian Retreat

SILVERADO, CA — A 14-foot wooden cross that once stood at the Santiago Retreat Center was sawed down this week, organizers at the center said in a statement.

As of Monday morning, Orange County sheriff's deputies were trying to identify a suspect responsible for the vandalism.

The sawed-down cross was initially noticed by staff arriving at the 500-acre Christian retreat in Silverado Canyon Thursday, June 30.

The cross had recently been dedicated during a retreat the Friday and Saturday before Father's Day, and, according to staff, had been vandalized during the first week of a vacation Bible Camp that hosted kids from kindergarten through the 8th grade, staff said in a GoFundMe statement.

According to the statement, none of the 300 campers were staying on the campus at night.

Staff at the retreat center said that the Orange County Sheriff's Department was notified of the vandalism Thursday. According to the Orange County Register, investigators believe the vandalism happened between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday.

“We will replace the cross, of course,” Mark McElrath, executive director of Santiago Retreat Center, said in a statement. “Friends of Santiago are already sending donations for a new cross—and for scholarships for children and youth who cannot afford to attend camp this summer."

Residents looking to help the Santiago Retreat Center replace the cross can donate directly to the center via GoFundMe.