An antique religious object disappeared on Saturday from the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, located in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. The disappearance was discovered at the end of the day by the head of the place of worship, who immediately filed a complaint with the authorities.
The stolen item is a fragment of fabric from the tunic of Saint Vincent de Paul, a 17th-century Catholic priest canonized in 1737. The object was displayed to the public in a glass case placed on a stand inside the building.
An investigation opened by the judicial police
For now, there are no suspects or specific leads to identify the perpetrator of the robbery. The investigation has been entrusted to the Paris Judicial Police's Organized Crime Unit.
The parish expressed its deep sorrow following this act. During Sunday mass, the priest spoke of "great grief," recalling the symbolic importance of this relic associated with a religious figure known for his commitment to the poorest members of society.
Despite the incident, the church is expected to remain open to the public. Officials explain that they do not wish to alter access to the place of worship while awaiting the conclusions of the investigation and checks in the archives to determine the exact nature of the relic.
