Photo: DeSales Media Group
The New York City Police Department is looking for the person who stole a $2 million tabernacle from the altar of a Brooklyn Catholic Church.
According to the diocese, because of the Tabernacle’s 130-year history, the ancient gem is “irreplaceable.” It also said that the angels around the Tabernacle were damaged, along with the Holy Eucharist inside the artifact that was “thrown all over the altar.”
A safe inside the sacristy was also cut, but it was empty, the Diocese said.
The diocese called the theft an act of “disrespect and hate, which desecrated the most Holy Eucharist and the altar at St. Augustine Catholic Church.”
DeSales Media Group
“This is devastating, as the Tabernacle is the central focus of our church outside of worship, holding the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, which is delivered to the sick and homebound,” said Father Frank Tumino, pastor of St. Augustine.
“To know that a burglar entered the most sacred space of our beautiful Church and took great pains to cut into a security system is a heinous act of disrespect,” continued Tumino.
The diocese tells PEOPLE that there have been no updates.
The NYPD confirmed to PEOPLE that the Tabernacle is pure 18-karat gold, and also featured jewels. It’s valued at $2 million.
“A statue of an angel at the church was also damaged; the head of the statue was removed,” the police department adds.
Those with information are urged to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). They can also share tips on the Crimestoppers website athttps://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
source: people.com
