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| This church has survived a fire that started back in 1962 | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The town of Centralia has been left to die - but its last remaining church is thriving. | The town of Centralia has been left to die - but its last remaining church is thriving. |
| In Pennsylvania's coal-mining mountains, there's an empty grid where a town once lived. | In Pennsylvania's coal-mining mountains, there's an empty grid where a town once lived. |
| Once, there were homes and gardens. Now there are weeds. | Once, there were homes and gardens. Now there are weeds. |
| Before Centralia started burning from below, more than a thousand people lived here. At the last count, there were six. | Before Centralia started burning from below, more than a thousand people lived here. At the last count, there were six. |
| The roads remain - on Google Maps, they have names like Railway Avenue and Apple Alley - but on the ground, they are ghost streets. | The roads remain - on Google Maps, they have names like Railway Avenue and Apple Alley - but on the ground, they are ghost streets. |
| Nameless. Silent. Stripped bare. Anonymous, in every sense. | |
| On the horizon, though, a piece of Centralia survives. | On the horizon, though, a piece of Centralia survives. |
| A white church rises between black trees. A blue dome shines against the snow. | A white church rises between black trees. A blue dome shines against the snow. |
| Its congregation has left town, but Centralia's Ukrainian Catholic Church isn't going anywhere. | Its congregation has left town, but Centralia's Ukrainian Catholic Church isn't going anywhere. |
| John Mayernick Sr was born and raised in Centralia, back when it was a living, breathing, coal-mining town. | John Mayernick Sr was born and raised in Centralia, back when it was a living, breathing, coal-mining town. |
| "Everybody watched out for each other," he says. | "Everybody watched out for each other," he says. |
| "If you did something wrong, and someone didn't like it, they'd say 'I'm going to call your dad', and that was the end of it. | "If you did something wrong, and someone didn't like it, they'd say 'I'm going to call your dad', and that was the end of it. |
| "And buddy - you better get home quick, because you didn't want that to happen." | "And buddy - you better get home quick, because you didn't want that to happen." |
| But, on 27 May 1962, Centralia changed. A fire spread from a surface mine to underground seams, and kept burning. | But, on 27 May 1962, Centralia changed. A fire spread from a surface mine to underground seams, and kept burning. |
| (It's not known how the fire started, but "the most widely accepted" explanation - according to the state - is that workers set fire to a nearby rubbish dump.) | (It's not known how the fire started, but "the most widely accepted" explanation - according to the state - is that workers set fire to a nearby rubbish dump.) |
| More than $7m was spent trying to stop the fire, but it didn't work. In 1983, the US Congress approved a $42m package to relocate the residents. | More than $7m was spent trying to stop the fire, but it didn't work. In 1983, the US Congress approved a $42m package to relocate the residents. |
| According to the state, the fire could burn for more than 100 years. Some locals think it's either out, or no longer poses a danger. | |
| By then, John had already moved to Numidia, eight miles north. But, although Centralia was disappearing, he kept coming to the blue-domed church where he was baptised. | By then, John had already moved to Numidia, eight miles north. But, although Centralia was disappearing, he kept coming to the blue-domed church where he was baptised. |
| More than 40 years later, he's still here. | More than 40 years later, he's still here. |
| "This was our church," he says, looking at the stained-glass windows. | "This was our church," he says, looking at the stained-glass windows. |
| "Everybody in my family - they were baptised here, went to communion here. Even buried here, some of them. | "Everybody in my family - they were baptised here, went to communion here. Even buried here, some of them. |
| "I could have gone to [churches in] Berwick, or Mount Carmel, or Marion Heights. But as long as it's going, I'll keep coming." | "I could have gone to [churches in] Berwick, or Mount Carmel, or Marion Heights. But as long as it's going, I'll keep coming." |
| A church in a place with no people needs deep, strong foundations, or it crumbles. Joanne Panko's family is one of those foundations. | A church in a place with no people needs deep, strong foundations, or it crumbles. Joanne Panko's family is one of those foundations. |
| Joanne, 67, was baptised here, as was her mother. Her grandmother also worshipped here, after arriving from Europe in her 20s. | Joanne, 67, was baptised here, as was her mother. Her grandmother also worshipped here, after arriving from Europe in her 20s. |
| In 1987, with the fire burning, Joanne left Centralia for Bloomsburg, a 19-mile drive away. Did she think of finding a new church? | In 1987, with the fire burning, Joanne left Centralia for Bloomsburg, a 19-mile drive away. Did she think of finding a new church? |
| "Never," she says, sitting on a pew with her grandson. "Never." | "Never," she says, sitting on a pew with her grandson. "Never." |
| Mary Anne Mekosh's family is another foundation. Like Joanne, Mary's parents and grandparents came here. | Mary Anne Mekosh's family is another foundation. Like Joanne, Mary's parents and grandparents came here. |
| She left Centralia after high school, moving to the Washington DC area, but now lives five miles south of the town. | She left Centralia after high school, moving to the Washington DC area, but now lives five miles south of the town. |
| Mary, 68, is proud of her church - "We're stable, and we want it to continue" - but is sad that Centralia was left to die. | Mary, 68, is proud of her church - "We're stable, and we want it to continue" - but is sad that Centralia was left to die. |
| "I'm not someone who hates our government, or thinks it's incompetent," she says. | "I'm not someone who hates our government, or thinks it's incompetent," she says. |
| "I just don't understand how this was allowed to happen. I really believe the fire could have been put out in the early days." | "I just don't understand how this was allowed to happen. I really believe the fire could have been put out in the early days." |
| By the 1980s, Centralia was fading from the map, like a photo developing in reverse. | By the 1980s, Centralia was fading from the map, like a photo developing in reverse. |
| When the fire started, there were five churches in the town. One by one, they disappeared. In 1986, the Ukrainian church - built in 1911 - almost followed. | When the fire started, there were five churches in the town. One by one, they disappeared. In 1986, the Ukrainian church - built in 1911 - almost followed. |
| "It was on its last breath," says Father Michael Hutsko, the pastor. | "It was on its last breath," says Father Michael Hutsko, the pastor. |
| "The church would have been knocked down, and all that would have remained was the cemetery." | "The church would have been knocked down, and all that would have remained was the cemetery." |
| But, as the state oversaw the clearance of Centralia, Archbishop Stephen Sulyk ordered a survey under the hillside church. | But, as the state oversaw the clearance of Centralia, Archbishop Stephen Sulyk ordered a survey under the hillside church. |
| "So they drilled, and they found solid rock [rather than coal]," says Father Hutsko. | "So they drilled, and they found solid rock [rather than coal]," says Father Hutsko. |
| "That's so scriptural. 'You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.'" | "That's so scriptural. 'You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.'" |
| The building was saved, and - with the help of families like the Mayernicks, the Pankos, and Mekoshes - the church kept watching over Centralia. | The building was saved, and - with the help of families like the Mayernicks, the Pankos, and Mekoshes - the church kept watching over Centralia. |
| In November 2015, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, visited Centralia during a tour of the US. | In November 2015, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, visited Centralia during a tour of the US. |
| He was so impressed by the church, it was made a pilgrimage site. A framed letter on the church wall, complete with the patriarch's golden seal, confirms the honour. | He was so impressed by the church, it was made a pilgrimage site. A framed letter on the church wall, complete with the patriarch's golden seal, confirms the honour. |
| The first pilgrimage took place in August 2016, with 500 - 600 visitors from across the US. | The first pilgrimage took place in August 2016, with 500 - 600 visitors from across the US. |
| Another took place in 2017, and the next is planned for the last Sunday in August 2018. | Another took place in 2017, and the next is planned for the last Sunday in August 2018. |
| "We invite people worldwide to join us," says Father Hutsko. "We really want to extend it - it's not just for Ukrainian Catholics." | "We invite people worldwide to join us," says Father Hutsko. "We really want to extend it - it's not just for Ukrainian Catholics." |
| Father Hutsko became pastor in Centralia in August 2010, but knew the town as a boy. | Father Hutsko became pastor in Centralia in August 2010, but knew the town as a boy. |
| "I went to seminary in 1976 with someone from the parish," he says. | "I went to seminary in 1976 with someone from the parish," he says. |
| "I would come to visit him - his family had a little grocery store in their home - and it was always a special place." | "I would come to visit him - his family had a little grocery store in their home - and it was always a special place." |
| After their Sunday morning service, Father Hutsko and his congregation stay for drinks and doughnuts at the back of the church. | After their Sunday morning service, Father Hutsko and his congregation stay for drinks and doughnuts at the back of the church. |
| "There's nowhere else in town to go," he says, smiling. | "There's nowhere else in town to go," he says, smiling. |
| As the smell of incense lingers, old neighbours catch up over coffee, while younger parishioners race between the pews. | As the smell of incense lingers, old neighbours catch up over coffee, while younger parishioners race between the pews. |
| "We lost the town, but we didn't lose the church," says Father Hutsko. | "We lost the town, but we didn't lose the church," says Father Hutsko. |
| "As a priest, that gives me great uplift, great feeling, both spiritually and socially." | "As a priest, that gives me great uplift, great feeling, both spiritually and socially." |
| Father Hutsko - who has another parish in Mount Carmel, four miles west - is confident the church will survive "longer than I'm going to be alive". | Father Hutsko - who has another parish in Mount Carmel, four miles west - is confident the church will survive "longer than I'm going to be alive". |
| "When you look back, it was saved in 1986 for something greater," he says. | "When you look back, it was saved in 1986 for something greater," he says. |
| "I think the history is unfolding before our eyes. The final chapter hasn't been written yet. | "I think the history is unfolding before our eyes. The final chapter hasn't been written yet. |
| "We don't know what it's going to be, but when I look back I see the hand of God, really, in all of these things. | "We don't know what it's going to be, but when I look back I see the hand of God, really, in all of these things. |
| "I can't help believe that something truly spectacular is going to happen here. Truly spectacular." | "I can't help believe that something truly spectacular is going to happen here. Truly spectacular." |
| Follow Owen Amos on Twitter @owenamos | Follow Owen Amos on Twitter @owenamos |