Millions of people all over the world were devastated on Monday when the legendary Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France caught on fire. For hours, the world looked on helplessly as the fire grew out of control, and nobody had any idea of any part of the cathedral would survive once the flames were extinguished.

The fire, the cause of which is still being investigated, was finally put out by firefighters after nine long hours. While much of the roof was destroyed and the iconic spire collapsed, there was some good news when firefighters were eventually able to enter the cathedral.

Miraculously, most of the structure of the church is still intact, and many of the priceless artifacts that were inside the church were saved. Treasured artifacts like the crown of thorns that Jesus Christ wore, various pieces of arts, and gilded candlesticks were carried out of the cathedral by a “human chain” in the middle of the fire.

Most surprising of all, however, is the fact that the cathedral’s golden altar cross was still standing and glowing when officials entered the cathedral after the blaze. Many saw this as a sign of hope amidst all of the destruction.

“Notre Dame was destroyed but the soul of France was not,” said Michel Aupetit, archbishop of Paris.

The cross also serves as a reminder that God is always with us, even in the darkest of times. Regardless of how bad things get in life, God is always with each and every one of us.

Find out more about this miracle in the video below.