'Father forgive them': Vandals destroy landmark outside California town

'It's very unfortunate people would hate symbols of religion.'

Riverside, California is known for its exciting nightlife and historic cross towering just outside the city.

Unfortunately for residents who have spent the past fifty years turning to the landmark for peace of mind, it was recently discovered to have been chopped down.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The cross was erected outside the Divine Word Retreat Center in the 1960s and served as a beloved landmark. 

The woman who reported its destruction was Irene Vasquez. She habitually hiked to the cross' base and often "felt a relief of stress," saying she would peer at it and "think about my parents and my son and just say, 'They're up here with me."

Resident Nancy Lacey told CBS-LA, "We've lived here for 33 years. It's been up there the whole time. It's a landmark. It needs to be there."

Father Mel James of the Divine Word Retreat Center admitted he was shocked to learn someone cut the cross down and stated: "It's very sad. I really don't know why someone would need to destroy the religious symbol of anyone else."

 The 20-foot cross was initially believed to have fallen as a result of recent gusting winds and severe storms but the Center's manager, Geoffrey Buyco, took a hike to inspect the damage and discovered wood chips scattered from what appears to be the work of a saw.

"It's really heartbreaking to go up there and see that cross lying there," Buyoco said. "Just thinking about it is - my whole life it's been up there."

Though officials have yet to describe the act of vandalism as a hate crime, they do acknowledge the possibility.

Father Paul Schmidt, also of the Divine Word Retreat Center, simply said, "To me, that's a real act of violence."

Davis and Schmidt agree that whoever vandalized the cross should issue an apology and help build a new one, but officials have yet to determine possible culprits.

Rev. Jose Goopio, leader of the center, stated: "It's very unfortunate people would hate symbols of religion. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."

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