Authorities in the Czech Republic have arrested a 35-year-old suspect in connection with the theft of an ancient religious relic from a church in the northern part of the country, officials announced Thursday.
The stolen item was an 800-year-old skull believed to belong to Saint Zdislava of Lemberk, who lived between 1220 and 1252. The saint was recognized for her charitable work and dedication to helping the poor, and received canonization from Pope John Paul II in 1995.
Security footage captured a figure wearing black clothing carrying the relic while moving through the pews of the Saint Lawrence and Saint Zdislava basilica in Jablonne v Podjestedi, located approximately 110 kilometers north of Prague, according to police reports.
Law enforcement officials announced on X Thursday evening that investigators “managed to obtain information about the location of the rare relic.”
Following the theft, Prague Archbishop Stanislav Pribyl described the incident as “devastating news,” noting that the skull holds special significance for religious pilgrims who come to venerate it.
