Statue of the Virgin Mary Stolen from Historic Hermitage in Ciudad Real
Thieves forcibly entered the Ermita de las Virtudes near Santa Cruz de Mudela and stole the statue of Nuestra Señora de las Virtudes, prompting a police investigation and public appeals for its return. The statue did not have any material, but "incommensurable sentimental value" according to the parish.
On or before June 13, 2024, the statue of Nuestra Señora de las Virtudes, patron of Santa Cruz de Mudela in Ciudad Real, was stolen from the Ermita de las Virtudes, a religious site located eight kilometers from the town and part of a complex declared a National Artistic Monument in 1981.
According to a joint statement from the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de las Virtudes and the local council, perpetrators forced entry through a door and smashed the protective glass of the statue’s niche. The statement emphasised, “All indications point to an intentional theft,” and appealed to the thieves to return the statue, noting its “incommensurable sentimental value” and “null material value.” The Guardia Civil launched an investigation, and religious events were modified due to the statue’s absence.
Source: Larazon.
Photo: Wikipedia. Por Manu1545 - Trabajo propio, CC BY-SA 4.0
