Nearly 800-Year-Old Relic Stolen From Calif. Church
- Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:04am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 780-year-old religious relic of the patron saint of lost causes and missing objects was stolen from a Catholic church near Los Angeles on Monday, just hours after it was put on display to commemorate the feast of St. Anthony, police said.
The relic, which is only brought out on special occasions, was stolen from inside a cabinet beside the altar at the St. Anthony Catholic Church in Long Beach on Monday morning, police Lt. Paul Arcala said.
The Reverend 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.
“It has no financial value, but it’s our history, so it’s irreplaceable,” Magana said. “It belongs to the church, not just the church here in Long Beach, but the entire Catholic church.”
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.
Arcala said the relic is housed in a 16-inch tall 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.
The last time it was on view was eight years ago, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the parish. In Catholicism, relics are usually part of a saint’s body or clothes, revered as a physical connection to the saint.
While church members are upset that someone would steal a holy object, their faith is still strong.
“They said, ‘Father, he’s the patron saint of lost causes, so he’ll come home,’” Magana said.
Police are looking for a person of interest who was curious about the relic earlier Monday morning, got too close and had to be asked to step away, Arcala said. The woman was in her late 30s and was short heavyset with wavy, shoulder-length black hair.
“I‘m hoping we’ve got some higher sources who’ve got our backs here and we can get it back,” Magana said. “People here are pretty upset but they’re praying. They’re praying to St. Anthony for the return of his own object.”
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Comments (75)
fitsgibbons
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:45pmThis is real funny?! You people making childish remarks about some low life stealing from the church speaks volumes about how screwed up our society is. I know I won’t make any friends with this post, but at this point I don’t give a damn. Shame on ALL of you!
Report Post »fixer
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 1:06pmAmen
Report Post »Baltotrav
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 2:05pmI agree with @fixer….. Amen to @fitsgibbons statement.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 7:21pmWake UP!!!!!!The church and whatever is in it is not GOD or any reflection of GOD it is a building!!!! They can steal all the relics they want, they can steal everything in the church burn it to the ground, it wont change my faith at all! I think you are missing the point!
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:41pmI have an endless supply of John the Baptist turds I am willing to sell them to anyone for $100,000 dollars each! If the supply runs low just give me a few days I am sure we can resupply! These are going fast so hurry up! I am going to get that guy that does the Sham-Wow commercials to start doing spots on Fox News Channel!
Report Post »kpeters59
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:29pmhttp://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7608395.html
Stealing a Purse in Church: a How-To Video
By Richard Connelly, Mon., Jun. 13 2011 at 1:01 PM
Categories: Crime
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The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has released this security-cam video of a woman rifling through a purse during a church service.
“God and a camera were watching Cynthia Gonzalez, aka Cynthia Martinez, as she allegedly stole from a woman’s purse after the woman got up to receive communion,” the sheriff’s office said. “HCSO investigators say this was a frequent practice for Gonzalez as she‘s ’prayed’ on parishioners at several area churches.”
For some reason they haven’t edited the half-hour clip, but if you download and then fast-forward you can catch the action.
martinez, cynthia 100567.jpg
HCSO
Cynthia Martinez: Don’t sit next to her in church.
HCSO offers this timeline:
08:45 Suspect enters and sits down
15:10 Suspect moves to a different pew, just behind victim
19:40 Suspect exchanges sign of peace with victim
23:05 Suspect is seen allegedly digging through victim’s purse
23:50 Suspect leaves church
It doesn’t quite exactly match up with our viewing of the thing, but it’s close enough.
It seems the victim is suspicious when Martinez moves behind her — at one point she moves her purse from her seat to underneath the pew. Didn’t help.
“Gonzalez has been charged with credit/debit abuse related to another
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:13pmSad. My church celebrated the feast of St. Anthony this Sunday. We don’t have hundred year-old relics but, thankfully, no one has ever stolen anything.
Report Post »abigwethepeople
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:11pmI was raised Catholic and have relic myself given to me by my great-grandmother. It is my most prized possession!! It is a piece of cloth belonging to St. Francis of Assisi. She told me to put it on if I was ever sick. I don’t worship it…I worship GOD. I also am now Baptist…..but I see there are many fallicies out there about Catholics worshiping saints. Its just like a cross around your neck, a painting of the last supper, a statue of Mary….a reminder of the potential in all of us to stive to be more like GOD….not just feeling His grace but SEEING and FEELING it too!! Its “HANDS ON ” approach!!!
Report Post »Charles
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:05pmIts gold and silver. I guess that mystery lady was seeing dollar signs. Hopefully she’ll take it to a pawn shop where the cops get called.
Report Post »cntrlfrk
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:59amSome brilliant theory here.
I guess if the Church burns down, we should not rebuild it, or even look for the arsonist since we should not worship idols.
C’mon, people, you are starting to sound like liberals.
.
Report Post »compatriotshonor
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:54amThe patron saint of lost causes, yea, thats a good one on nancy pelosi, but I do believe that it has more to do with the progressives and thier agendas. Lost causes, seems to me the relic should be the icon for the concurrent government today.
Report Post »streetrodder
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:53amHelen Thomas has’nt turned up missing has she?
Report Post »bill oswald
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:41amProbably some liberal athiest.
Report Post »marcryan71
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:15amPut away your worthless idols and come out of her…turn to Christ and abandon the way of the pagan. This is why God commanded no idols be made…physical things can be obsessed upon and considered “holy” but in fact, mean nothing. This “relic” is nothing and they should not even bother to look for it.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:14amSherlock would start with the oval office.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:06amAt first it was reported someone “hacked” into the case, now they’re just calling it a prank.
Report Post »DavidInStLouis
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:03amSee ANGELCAT’s response for those who are mis-understanding the place of relics in the Catholic Church. : )
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:59amI say check every Mosque within a hundred miles!
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:54amThat relic has been comforting people for a long long time.. I do not condone idolatry, but there is a very special hell for people that steal things sacred to others..
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:39amI think you are not suppose to worship idols or relics!!!!
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:02amThey’re NOT WORSHIPING the relic, you dope.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:18pmKeep the temple holy you dope and by the way why don’t you read a relic in a Church even a crucifix is an idol. Another moron that knows nothing about nothing!! you are just used to the symbols of faith and not the meaning of faith or the practice of it.
Report Post »Booker11
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:25amMoral decay!
Report Post »hi
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:20amGay guys display Catholic church sacred items in their home as a profanity because they hate God. I bet gays stole it, not people after the precious metals.
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:19amYou shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:36amMo one is worshipping the relic. It is just a way of feeling closer to the St., who is also NOT worshipped as a God but only asked to pray for us TO God since he is already in heaven and closer to him. I pray to St. Anthony often since I am always losing things and need his prayers along with mine. I always find what I have lost – most times even when I have already looked in the same place and so have others. Saints are not “false gods” or “graven images”. In my 16 years of Catholic education that point was made again and again. Saints are humans who have made it to heaven and can pray for us since they are closer to God and very pleasing to Him.
Report Post »hi
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:11amThe Bible says to only pray to God. The Bible says all Christians are saints.
Report Post »DLG123
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:43amZap
Report Post »I hope you don’t have pictures (images) of your family or loved one. I hope you are not ahunter of fisherman with mounts on your wall. I hope you don’t collect any sort or trinkets that look like an animal. And definately not have a praying angel in your garden You see all of the are images of things on the earth, below the sea, or in the heavens. So are these things sinful? Of course not! You see how silly your statement and argument is. The reason that the graven images are forbidden was the Isrealites were worshipping them a gods. Sheep, goats, bulls were all considered gods by the egyptians and was illegal to kill and eat them this is why before the Exodus they eat tons of pork and God forbid it after they left egypt. This is also the reason that God told them to slaughter the lamb because the Egyptians worshipped these animals.
After God told them no graven images he commanded them to make a tabernacle made of gold with golden angels… So did he contradict himself? NO of course not… You see its not the image but the worship of the image.
Peace be with you,
DLG
TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:19amThe headline on Foxnews was pretty funny concerning this story. In seriousness, it’s just stuff and will burn like everything else when Jesus comes to take care of biz.
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:18amWhere is anthony w. going through his “rehab”?
Report Post »HOOFHEARTED
Posted on June 15, 2011 at 1:27amThe playboy mansion.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:15am.
Report Post »Godless…………..
ZOMBIE JESUS LOVES ME
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:33pmGodless. Like the entire universe. (Sorry to break it to you.)
[laughing @ you]
Report Post »regressive_democrat
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 12:56pmSure hope this troll isn’t going to try and appeal to reason. Stick to ridicule fool, it is all you have, quite literally.
Report Post »fixer
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 1:03pmHey zombie,soon you will rot in hell,just like the idiot who stole this relic.The real jesus is coming…and boy is He pissed.
Report Post »frustratedwithgovt
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:12amThat is just crazy – what the heck are people thinking. Stealing from a church. We really need to get our moral compass back.
Report Post »Your Name Here
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:10amWhen I first started reading this I thought “Who would steal Nancy Pelosi?”
Report Post »780 years old, patron saint of lost causes…
As a former locksmith I’m no longer surprised at the things someone will steal.
SpankDaMonkey
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:22am.
Report Post »Steal Nancy now thats funny. Scary but funny.
lovenfl3
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:22amThe patron saint of lost causes and missing objects is…..missing? Sounds kind of ironic to me.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZUqKHTW5_Y
jeff.cooper
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:25amhahahaha!
Report Post »enemy of the statist
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:27am“Arcala said the relic is housed in a 16-inch tall 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.”
Jeopardize the investigation??? Okay, we have our first suspect!
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:28amNancy Pelosi – ha ha ha ha ha!!!!
Report Post »I_Hate_Libs
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:39amahahaha that is funny steal Nancy nobody would steal Nancy she is not worth anything.
The horror of the Democrat mind.
Report Post »twistin
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:45amWhat? You don’t think Nancy is Hot?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 10:54amSteal Pelosi? It could also have been Hillary, or Napoletano, or even old Francis Fox Piven…
Report Post »rayblue
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:24amLost Causes ? Newt comes to mind.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:50amTwistin…well, Nancy is not necessarily hot, but where she will go one day…is real hot. She cannot claim her faith as a catholic and believe in abortion, its not an option. You cannot support gay lifestyle, let alone gay marriage…its not an option either. I would say she won’t repent on these issues and suggest she invest in ice water…she is going to need it I think. Of course, if she stands up an claps when Satin speaks….she might get the job of second in command. The DNC wellcoming committee….
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:58amLA? You know it was either a crazy person, an illegal, or both.
Report Post »Sound The Trumpet In Zion
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 1:06pmWell he is the supposed saint of lost and missing items. All I would see if I saw it was that it was a statue and nothing else, and I would be right. Why would anyone believe in a “patron saint” of lost and missing items if it can’t keep itself from being among the lost and missing items?
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 1:12pm@twistin
Report Post »Not as hot as she is going to be!! :-)
BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 1:28pm“The Reverend 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.”
Wonder how parishioner’s hope stands now. Seriously, this is just awful. BUT- Christians, don’t lose faith.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 1:35pmThe low life strikes again!
Report Post »NoIPhone
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 3:36pmAt least it was in the right state. Now it must be in Chicago.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 3:52pmPost of the day!
Report Post »