Priests at the Basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port in Lorraine, France, reported the theft of a sacred relic of St Nicholas on November 2. Police arrested a suspect who admitted breaking the display case and then burning and crushing the remains, viewing devotion to the bones as a form of idol worship.
The parish wrote on social media: “The police investigation made it possible to identify and arrest the perpetrator. He admitted having broken the display case, then burned and crushed the relic.”
The theft occurred weeks before the Feast of St Nicholas on December 6, which marks the anniversary of his death, and follows a series of high-profile attacks on Catholic sites in France.
Parish 'deeply grieved' by attack on faith and history
The parish statement continued: “Beyond the heritage value of this object, what touches us today is, above all, a profound attack on our history, our faith and the devotion of generations of pilgrims.” It added: “The parish is deeply grieved by this act. The relic of Saint Nicholas represents a precious link with our patron saint, whose memory we celebrate every year, and whose spiritual radiance far exceeds the boundaries of Lorraine.”
A heritage group said the destroyed item was not the main relic, which is kept in an arm-shaped reliquary in the treasury. The fragment had been placed beneath the statue of the saint in the patronal chapel in the early 2000s. However, a French Catholic magazine said the theft “wipes out a piece of the religious history of Lorraine and of France”.
Who was St Nicholas?
St Nicholas, who inspired the legendary figure of Father Christmas, was a fourth-century bishop from modern-day Turkey. He lived between 270 and 343 AD and is the patron saint of children. Born to wealthy parents who died when he was young, he used their entire inheritance to help the poor, needy and sick. On one occasion, he gave three destitute girls bags of gold to save them from prostitution.
The basilica in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, near Nancy in northeast France, holds some of his remains. The investigation into the theft is ongoing.
