This year the St. Ann Roman Catholic Parish of Emmaus' customary July 4 The Fortnight for Freedom - Let Religious Freedom Ring ceremony was augmented by the dedication of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

As reported in The Press, the head of the statue known as the Sacred Heart of Jesus at St. Ann Church, Emmaus, was set on fire early Feb. 2, burning off the face of Jesus, according to Monsignor John S. Mraz, pastor of the church.

In an email to The Press Mraz described the original statue as resin with a concrete core and the events surrounding the damage in February.

"I had the 7:30 a.m. mass this morning and was coming over to church at 6:50 a.m. and saw the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ablaze," Mraz wrote in his email.

The original statue, set before a stand of arborvitae, was positioned near the entrance of the church building, 415 S. 6th St. Snow banked near the base of the statue created a cold backdrop for a red pillar candle and a bright blue bud vase filled with flowers. The face of Jesus was marred and blackened.

"Something was sprayed on it and then it was set on fire," James Reiss, fire chief of the Emmaus Fire Department said of the statue.

In his email, Mraz noted a container of lighter fluid was found near a wall at the church. Reiss said Emmaus Police investigated the incident.

The replacement statue, composed of fire resistant granite, now stands in the arborvitae framed niche of its predecessor.

Mraz, assisted by Deacons Richard Fenton and Dominick Amadeo, performed the dedication.

Mraz also took the time to briefly outline plans to create an enclosure to house both the new statue and the statue of the Blessed Mother.

The traditional July 4 service which ends at noon with bell ringing by the clergy and the congregation, followed.