Tuesday - June 14, 2011

Really Ironic

LOS ANGELES—A 780-year-old religious relic of St. Anthony of Padua has been stolen, and parishioners at a Southern California Catholic church are praying to the patron saint of lost causes and missing objects for its speedy return.

The relic was stolen from inside a cabinet beside the altar at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Long Beach on Monday, the feast day of the church’s namesake.

The Rev. Jose Magana said he decided to bring out the relic this year, on the 780th anniversary of the death of St. Anthony, because many of his parishioners have lost hope in the rough economy.

The church opened at 6 a.m., and when Magana turned to the relic during the 9 a.m. Mass, it had disappeared. Magana could hear his parishioners gasp when they realized it was gone, but he continued with the service and called police immediately afterward.

Long Beach police Lt. Paul Arcala said the relic is housed in a 16-inch tall reliquary case with angel-shaped handles made of gold and silver on either side. He declined to describe it further because that might jeopardize the investigation.

Police were looking for a person who was seen at all five Masses on Sunday and was unusually curious about the relic, Arcala said. Witnesses said she got too close and had to be asked to step away. The woman was in her late 30s and was short and heavyset with wavy, shoulder-length black hair.

...

“People here are pretty upset but they’re praying. They’re praying to St. Anthony for the return of his own object.”

It takes a special kind of low life to steal from a church. Ripping off the alms box is bad enough, but stealing the religious possessions is far worse.

Posted by Drew458     on 06/14/2011 at 07:34 AM   
Filed Under: • Crime • Religion •  
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