There is no indestructible vault, no concrete wall six feet thick, and no evidence of a visit from Violet, one of Disney’s "Incredibles" possessing force-field super powers. However, one dune on Pensacola Beach remains whole, virtually untouched by the fury of Hurricane Ivan, which flattened most gulf-front dunes for several miles east and west. Could it be divine protection?
The only noticeable difference in this dune, compared to the others that were blown or washed away, is the presence of a 10-foot, cast concrete cross commemorating the first Christian mass held in the United States. The Knights of Columbus first placed it on the north side of Fort Pickens Road in 1959 as part of the Quadra centennial celebration of Don Tristan de Luna’s landing in Pensacola, establishing America’s first European settlement. Some time later, the cross was moved to its current home on the south side of Fort Pickens Road and has stood firm through many bouts with Mother Nature, including hurricanes Frederic, Elena, Erin, Opal, and now Ivan. So far, there is no scientific explanation as to why the dune and the cross have been spared so many times. According to several residents, the answer will never come from science but instead can be found from within.
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