After snapping from the ceiling the Mt. Carmel church sanctuary lamp is now hanging securely again

It must have been Divine intervention. No one was underneath the large metal sanctuary lamp at Montecito's Mt. Carmel church when it broke off from its ceiling mount earlier this month, and came crashing down.

Only a couple of people were in the church praying at the time of the stunning afternoon incident.

The sanctuary lamp holds a candle and is lowered and raised by a cable. Church officials say that mechanism apparently wore out.

The lamp was first installed 84 years ago. It is placed in churches near or above the tabernacle. No one remembers any other issues with the lamp in the past.

It has now been fixed and rehung. The lamp is directly above steps between the congregation pews and the altar. It is often in the center of photos taken from the back of the church to the front that include the altar and statues.