Relic of St. John Bosco stolen

June 05, 2017

A relic of St. John Bosco was stolen from the basilica named for the saint in his birthplace of Castelnuova, Italy, on June 3.

A man posing as a pilgrim took the relic—a portion of the saint’s brain—which was held in a reliquary behind the altar of the basilica. The theft took place just before the building was closed for the evening.

Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin lamented the “profound moral misery” involved in the theft, while inviting the criminal to return the relic “without conditions.”

Police were examining videotaped footage of the activity in the cathedral, hoping to be able to identify the thief.

 

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Further information:

• Thief steals part of St John Bosco’s brain (Catholic Herald)
• Rubate reliquie di Don Bosco Un furto o un avviso al Papa? (Il Giornale)