Crews removed the cross from atop the St. Peter Catholic Church steeple in Jefferson City on Thursday.
It had stood on the lofty pinnacle 137 years, since 1883.
The 8-foot copper cross and the 4-foot shroud it stands on didn't look so large when they were atop the steeple, said the Rev. Jeremy Secrist, pastor at St. Peter Catholic Church.
But now that the cross is down, its size - and age - are evident.
"The lightning rod on top - you can tell it's been hit a number of times because of the deformed metal," Secrist said.
March's hail storm was the last straw for the cross and much of the church's roof, Secrist said. Insurance will help pay to replace structures. A cross on the west end (opposite the first cross) is also to be replaced.
They can't be repaired, he said.
"With the weathering - as old as it is - it is going to be duplicated," Secrist said. "The metal is a lot thinner than it needs to be. I don't know what gauge it is, but it has split and has significant dents."
The slate roof on the steeple is to be replaced. And the roof over the rest of the church is to be replaced. It, too, was slate at one time, but at some point, somebody changed it to ceramic tile, he said.
"We were able to salvage some of the old slate," Secrist added. "We are in the process of coming up with some keepsake items so people may say, 'I have a piece of the original slate off the tower.'"
The church also found it has to repair beams in the steeple, where workers uncovered hidden damage. Workers will also have to rebuild much of the masonry and replace some capstones on the west parapet wall, Secrist said.
St. Peter Catholic Church is looking for a donor who might help pay for gilding on the new main cross, Secrist said. For information, call the parish at 573-636-8159.
When work will be completed is still uncertain.
"I keep telling people it will be done before Easter," Secrist said.