Cleanup crews found an ash-covered but undamaged painting, titled "La Dolorosa," of the Virgin Mary from the 18th century buried under a scorched crossbeam.
Fire destroys much of 249-year-old San Gabriel Mission
Most of the valuable artwork inside the mission had been removed months before the fire in preparation of the mission's 250th anniversary. The recently-discovered painting was the only one that survived the flames, officials say.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles says the painting was discovered on Sept. 15, the feast day of Our Lady of the Sorrows, a holy day that is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.