After enduring fire, flood, recession, a pandemic and changing times, a Brooklyn church still stands to celebrate its 170th anniversary on Sunday.

Much as visitors to Red Hook experience today, the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s clock tower was among the first sights immigrants spotted arriving in New York Harbor, said the church’s pastor, Father Claudio Antecini.

“The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of America, the land of opportunity and freedom. Now there is the Freedom Tower,” Antecini, 63, told The News. “In some places, you can see from the sea, the steeple with the clock. (Arriving immigrants) said, ‘Wow, there is hope.’ The church is a landmark, a landmark of freedom.”

“They were very religious people, very devoted. They brought it from their land, their own backgro

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