Czech police are searching for an unidentified thief who stole the skull of St. Zdislava of Lemberk from a glass shrine inside a church in the northern Czech Republic—an act officials say has caused “incalculable” historical damage.
The theft took place on Tuesday at the Basilica of St. Lawrence and St. Zdislava in the town of Jablonné v Podještědí, according to police. A police spokesman said the suspect broke open the shrine containing the relic before fleeing the scene.
Authorities have released low-quality CCTV footage showing a person dressed “probably” in black clothing and white shoes, and have appealed to the public for help identifying the suspect.
St. Zdislava of Lemberk, who lived ca. 1220-1252, was a noblewoman known for charitable works and acts of mercy. Pope John Paul II canonized the saint in 1995, and the remains have long been an object of pilgrimage and veneration.
The skull was displayed on an altar in a side chapel of the basilica, where pilgrims and visitors came to pray before the relic. Officials said the financial value of the stolen relic is still being assessed, but stressed that its historical and spiritual significance is irreplaceable.
Prague archbishop Stanislav Přibyl described the theft as “devastating,” saying the relic had been a focal point for pilgrims for centuries. The archbishop also expressed disbelief that such an act could take place inside a church, calling it a “daylight robbery” of a sacred artefact.
