Religious statue beheaded in Cathedral
In the Trier Cathedral, a renaissance apostle statue was beheaded and its head stolen. The incident prompting an investigation and concern over preservation of religious heritage.
Between the evening of Friday, August 30, and the afternoon of Saturday, August 31, 2025, unknown perpetrators entered Trier Cathedral and forcibly removed the stone head of a Renaissance apostle sculpture from the pulpit staircase. The theft was discovered by a cathedral sexton during a routine inspection. The stolen head, roughly the size of a fist, was part of a centuries-old ensemble depicting apostles listening to Jesus, and is considered historically and artistically irreplaceable.
Cathedral Provost Jörg Michael Peters expressed deep concern: “It’s not just material damage—it’s the loss of a unique, historically significant piece.”
Despite the severity of the act, the cathedral does not plan to install additional security barriers, emphasising its role as a place of faith rather than a museum. Surveillance cameras are present in select areas, and volunteers help monitor the site. Peters noted that vandalism at the cathedral is rare and urged the perpetrators to return the stolen head.
Police are investigating and seeking witnesses, while the diocese hopes to commission a stone sculptor to recreate the missing piece in the coming months.
Source: SWR.
Photo: Wikipedia. By Berthold Werner - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
