Historic Greek Orthodox Church Saved From Auction

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Chicago (CBS) -- Some real life guardian angels may be saving one of the Midwest's oldest Greek Orthodox churches from the auction block. It's truly the answer to prayers for the congregation at Holy Trinity in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood.

Parishioners at Holy Trinity have been fighting to save the church since learning it was saddled with $8 million in debt.

It's not clear exactly how much money was put forward, but it's around $2 million. The presiding priest said that's more than enough to delay the auction and allow the church to file for bankruptcy.

That will buy the church some time, so they can sell a shuttered school they own in north suburban Deerfield.

And that means at least for now, a Belmont Cragin institution will remain what it's always been, a place for families on the Northwest Side to come together and worship.

Father Nicholas Jonas said it was literally an 11th hour surprise.

"We prayed for a miracle to happen, and we didn't give up," Jonas said. "Late last night a group of guardian angels came forward."

Services will continue this weekend. There will be a church service Saturday morning at 9 to celebrate the Feast of Saint Eleutherios, and the regularly scheduled Sunday morning service will take place at 9:45.