SAN FRANCISCO—St. Dominic’s Church in San Francisco is celebrating the replacement of a 2,000 year-old relic that was stolen in August 2016, according to Kron 4 News. The relic was believed to have contained a piece of the actual cross Jesus was crucified on and was replaced by an anonymous donor on Thursday, January 19.
On August 18, St. Dominic’s church parishioners discovered that their sacred item had been stolen. Father Michael Hurley of St. Dominic’s announced the news on August 21. During an ABC7 News interview, Hurley commented on the relic stating, “The true cross is a relic that goes back 2,000 years to the very cross of Christ himself. For it to be stolen in this kind of very deliberate way is certainly both upsetting and very saddening.” He went on to disclose that he was praying for the suspect.
Hurley explained that the relic was kept inside of a locked case with a red waxed papal seal dating back to the 1700s. Though there was evidence of the lock being popped off from the case, without witnesses or security cameras inside of the church, authorities were not been able to trace a suspect.
On Thursday, a replacement cross— allegedly owned by a priest from The Vatican, was given to St. Dominic’s Church.
The church will now place the cross in a more secured case on Bush Street.
