Hosts and sacred objects stolen
On January 8, between 2am and 4am, thieves broke into the sanctuary of Beata Vergine dell'Olmo in Portomaggiore, Italy, and stole hosts, sacred objects, video and sound equipment, and damaged the interior of the church. When the parish priest, Don Ugo Berti, went to prepare for the first mass of the day at 6.30am he found the church door open. At first he thought it was an accident, but then he saw that the entrance had been forced open in several places. He quickly alerted the authorities. "I am afraid it was a theft on behalf of Satanists: the hosts could be used to celebrate black masses," the parish priest said.
"They went into the sacristy and took the camera, the loudspeakers, the microphones and all the amplification equipment. Items that are now worth very little on the market, but that were essential to the parish," he explained. It remains to be seen what was stolen. Many of the stolen items are made of brass, so they cannot be sold at a high price. Nevertheless, there was damage to the interior of the church. The total amount is 10,000 euros. "They alerted me immediately", said Mayor Dario Bernardi "I was speechless, to be honest. We are sure that the police will do their duty and that those responsible will be identified". The priest cannot rest: "The damage is enormous, but the act of desecration is more serious".
Source: Il resto del Carlino, La nuova Ferrara
Picture: La nuova Ferrara