HOLY CROSS Abbey is considering removing all its valuable treasurers from public display after a gang of thieves stole an invaluable holy relic, said to be from the cross Jesus Christ died on, and a priceless 12th-century cross.
The miniature artefact brought to Holy Cross Abbey in Thurles, Co Tipperary, in the late 12th century was taken by two masked men yesterday.
Armed with an angle grinder, hammer and screwdriver, the pair stole a gold and bronze cross about 12 inches high with a glass-fronted centrepiece used to hold the relic. It had been stored securely in a steel-bound display case.
Fr Tom Breen, parish priest of the abbey, said the relic has been the source of devotion and pilgrimage for the last 900 years.
"I would like to appeal to the thieves in the strongest possible terms not to damage the relic — just leave the artefacts in some church and they will eventually come back to me or we will use a third person," he said.
"It is impossible to put a value on it commercially or an intrinsic value, and from a religious and emotional point of view it’s immeasurable."
Fr Breen said that an incident in the abbey last Saturday may be connected to the theft. The sacristan came across two women acting suspiciously and the next morning it was noticed that three bundles of keys had been taken from the sacristy.
"As soon as I could lay my hands on a locksmith I had all the locks replaced," said Fr Breen.
"We had the crosses surrounded with steel and we had security cameras monitoring them."
The cross housing the relic is known as a monstrance, which sits on a small base and contains a transparent case normally used for holding the communion host.
The thieves also got away with a 14th-century silver holy cross, also about 12 inches in height, which had been hanging from a chain and contained two crosses and two dark stones.
The tiny relic was originally brought to the monastery when it was first consecrated by Cistercian monks in about 1180. It is believed to have been a gift from Dónal Mór O’Brien, King of Munster, who founded the abbey.
The thieves fled in a red or wine-coloured VW Touareg 4x4, which was later found burned out.
Gardaí said a third person had been waiting in the getaway car, which had the partial registration number 06 OY or 06 LK, and went in the direction of Yellow Lough.
The car was discovered a short time later about 5km from the scene at the Yellow Lough.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Thurles Garda Station on 0504 25100.
Armed with an angle grinder, hammer and screwdriver, the pair stole a gold and bronze cross about 12 inches high with a glass-fronted centrepiece used to hold the relic. It had been stored securely in a steel-bound display case.
Fr Tom Breen, parish priest of the abbey, said the relic has been the source of devotion and pilgrimage for the last 900 years.
"I would like to appeal to the thieves in the strongest possible terms not to damage the relic — just leave the artefacts in some church and they will eventually come back to me or we will use a third person," he said.
"It is impossible to put a value on it commercially or an intrinsic value, and from a religious and emotional point of view it’s immeasurable."
Fr Breen said that an incident in the abbey last Saturday may be connected to the theft. The sacristan came across two women acting suspiciously and the next morning it was noticed that three bundles of keys had been taken from the sacristy.
"As soon as I could lay my hands on a locksmith I had all the locks replaced," said Fr Breen.
"We had the crosses surrounded with steel and we had security cameras monitoring them."
The cross housing the relic is known as a monstrance, which sits on a small base and contains a transparent case normally used for holding the communion host.
The thieves also got away with a 14th-century silver holy cross, also about 12 inches in height, which had been hanging from a chain and contained two crosses and two dark stones.
The tiny relic was originally brought to the monastery when it was first consecrated by Cistercian monks in about 1180. It is believed to have been a gift from Dónal Mór O’Brien, King of Munster, who founded the abbey.
The thieves fled in a red or wine-coloured VW Touareg 4x4, which was later found burned out.
Gardaí said a third person had been waiting in the getaway car, which had the partial registration number 06 OY or 06 LK, and went in the direction of Yellow Lough.
The car was discovered a short time later about 5km from the scene at the Yellow Lough.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Thurles Garda Station on 0504 25100.