Thieves behead Statue of Jesus and Steal Money from Shrine
On Saturday, July 13, unknown perpetrators broke into the sanctuary of the Madonna della Grotta, stole over 500 euro and beheaded the statue of the infant Jesus.
Don Paolo Raimondi, priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Praia a Mare and rector of the Marian shrine said that when he and the parish staff found the vandalism they "could do nothing but take note of the mess caused." From the sacristy of the Mother Church 570 euro were stolen in the break-in. "In the Sanctuary, apart from breaking handles and locks, a few euros, a silver-plated chalice, and the silver-plated brass crowns that adorned the copy of the Madonna, made last year by Maestro Di Miceli, were stolen, and in the course of stealing they beheaded the statue of the Infant Jesus. Another chalice was damaged", the priest furthermore reported.
The police have started an investigation.
Source: www.cosenzachannel.it ; www.miocomune.tv
Image: Symbolic image (retrieved from monzatoday.it)