Theft of Hosts and Sacred Object from Church in Baigts-de-Béarn
The parish of Baigts-de-Béarn reports the theft of hosts and a monstrance offered by the Empress Eugénie during the reign of Napoleon III (1851-1870) from the parish during a burglary on the night of 2 to 3 July. The door of the sacristy was broken open and "88 hosts in two boxes" were stolen, among other sacred objects. It is important to not that the Hosts are the most holy for Catholics because they embody the real presence of Christ. They are often stolen by Satanists to perform satanic rituals.
In an interview the parish priest, Father Bernard Fort (who is also an exorcist), based in Puyoo stated: "They forced open the door [of the sacristy] which leads to the outside, and the two locks were broken. They took hosts that were unconsecrated, in boxes, and the key to the tabernacle - nevertheless when I managed to open it, I realised that the large host for adoration that was on the side in a corner, they missed it.
Altar cloths, two candlesticks and an altar cross were also taken. I have the impression that the thief has made his own little chapel, but certainly not to worship God. I have also been told that twice in the week following the robbery, the church was found open, the inside key turned - perhaps the thief has returned.
Since the theft, "I have removed the Blessed Sacrament. We have secured the tabernacle and we are going to buy a safe, even if it costs 3,000 euros and that's a lot of money," says the priest. "The town hall has had the door repaired because it was broken into.
There have already been thefts of hosts and religious objects in the area: "To my knowledge, it has happened in Bilhères, south of Pau, twice in six months, in Lourdes in the parish church [undergoing work, poorly secured, and where adoration takes place every day in the crypt, open to the public], in Orthez two or three years ago the candlesticks, the monstrance and other objects had been stolen, but not the gilded chalice. Hosts from a stolen ciborium were found thrown to the ground. And in Orthez in the other church ten years ago.
Nevertheless, protective measures are taken against theft: "There are churches where there is no longer a Blessed Sacrament. Where it is, there is only half a Host in the tabernacle. And then there are places where after Mass, the chalice, ciborium and hosts are put in the safety of people's homes rather than in the church.
Source: Sud Ouest
Symbolic image by Dalton Smith on Unsplash