Czech police are searching for a thief who stole the 800-year-old skull of Saint Zdislava of Lemberk from a church display case. The relic was taken from the Saint Lawrence and Saint Zdislava basilica in Jablonne v Podjestedi, about 110km north of Prague.
A security camera image released by police shows a figure in dark clothing carrying the skull while running between the church benches. Police spokesperson Dagmar Sochorova said the value of the stolen skull was being investigated, but its historic value was "obviously incalculable".
Saint Zdislava, a noblewoman who lived from 1220 to 1252, was known for her generosity and work with the poor. She was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 1995. The archbishop of Prague, Stanislav Pribyl, who also leads the Litomerice diocese, described the theft as "devastating news", noting that the skull was revered by pilgrims and had been taken "practically in broad daylight".
The skull had been placed on an altar in a side chapel and was the subject of adoration for pilgrims visiting Jablonne, where Zdislava lived and worked. Police initially identified the suspect as a man, but later said they were not certain and were reviewing the security footage.
