- Saint John Paul II’s relic was stolen from the Cologne Cathedral
- The relic is a cloth with a drop of blood from the former pope
- Police said a visitor had noticed that the relic is missing
The relic of Saint John Paul II has been stolen from a cathedral in Germany on Sunday, June 5.
In a Reuters article posted on ABS-CBN, it was disclosed that a cloth with a drop of blood from the former pope has been stolen from the Cologne Cathedral. The relic used to be kept in a glass container at the base of a statue of Saint John Paul II, who was leader of the Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005.
According to the police, on Sunday morning, a visitor noticed that the relic was missing. The person immediately alerted a church official.
Police said the container may had been prised from the sculpture’s base from Saturday night to Sunday morning.
The Relic
The relic had been in the cathedral since 2013 and was meant to recall the visit of the late pontiff to the church back in 1980.
The glass capsule protecting the relic was encased in a 40-centimeter statue made of silver-plated bronze; portraying Pope John Paul II holding onto a crucifix staff at the doors of Cologne’s High Cathedral of Saint Peter.
A priest has already appealed to the thief; stressing how important it is to the church.
“The material value is very low, but the non-material loss is much greater,” said the cathedral’s provost, Father Gerd Bachner.
The Catholic Church categorizes relics from saints in three: the first class, the second class and the third class.
Body parts such as blood, bones or even ashes of a saint fall under the first class.
Clothing worn by the saint, such as liturgical vestments, are considered second class.
Moreover, the personal possessions of the saint are included in the third class.
Post a Comment