In the Czech Republic, an unknown person stole the 800-year-old skull of Saint Zdislava from a basilica — Reuters
On Wednesday, May 13, Czech law enforcement authorities reported a brazen robbery at the Basilica of St. Lawrence and St. Zdešlava in Jablonné v Podještědí.
Reuters reports on this.
The perpetrator broke into the church, located north of Prague, and stole a unique relic—the skull that belonged to Saint Zdislava of Lemberk.
According to preliminary police reports, the incident occurred practically in broad daylight, and the moment of the theft was captured by surveillance cameras.
Blurry footage shows a figure in black clothing running quickly between the church pews, holding the stolen human skull in his hands.
At the scene, journalists observed a broken glass display case where the relic had been kept for a long time.
Police are currently conducting an investigation, attempting to identify the perpetrator and determine his whereabouts along with the priceless artifact.
Prague Archbishop Stanislav Pribil expressed deep outrage over the incident, emphasizing the immense loss for the entire Christian world.
“This is terrible news. The skull was venerated by pilgrims... I cannot believe that someone stole a relic from the church practically in broad daylight, a relic whose value is, above all, historical, as well as spiritual for believers,” the clergyman noted.
Saint Zdislava of Lemberk, whose remains were the target of the crime, lived in the 13th century and was renowned for her tireless charity.
She dedicated her life to helping the poor and the sick, for which she earned deep respect among the Czech people and pilgrims from other countries.
The process of canonizing Zdislava took place in 1995 by decision of Pope John Paul II, which officially confirmed her status in the Catholic Church.
The stolen skull was not only part of the Czech Republic’s historical heritage but also a central pilgrimage site in the northern region of the country.
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