In one of the most bizarre thefts I have read about in many moons, a church in Ireland is reporting the theft of a preserved 12th century heart – the heart of St. Laurence O’Toole.
Christ Church Cathedral describes the theft as "completely bizarre" from the Cathedral in Dublin.
In a story reported in the Irish Examiner, The preserved heart of St Laurence O'Toole is kept in a wooden heart-shaped container sealed within a small iron-barred box in St Laud's chapel in the Cathedral.
Ironically, the thieves ignored valuable gold chalices and gold candlesticks in the chapel in favor of the financially worthless relic.
The dean of Christ Church Cathedral and the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, the Rev Dermot Dunne said he was “devastated” by the theft of the treasured artifact.
While it holds no economic value, it is a priceless treasure that links the present foundation with its founding father, St Laurence O’Toole.
Born Lorcan Ua Tuathail in Castledermot, Co Kildare, in 1128, Laurence (Lorcan) O’Toole was appointed Archbishop of Dublin after the death of Archbishop Gregory in 1162.
He died in November 1180 in Normandy, France.
The former church leader was canonized in 1225 by Pope Honorius III.
Church authorities say it is possible the thieves had hidden themselves in the building overnight and broke into the relic after the cathedral closed for the day.
St Laurence O’Toole was known as an ascetic, who wore a hair-shirt, never ate meat and ate only bread and water every Friday.
Each Lent he returned to Glendalough, in Co Wicklow, where he lived in St Kevin’s Cell, a sort of cave, over the Upper Lake for 40 days.
He was canonized due to the number of miracles that occurred at his tomb.
In 1442, his skull was brought to Britain and his bones were interred at the Parish Church of Chorley, Lancashire, now called the Church of St Laurence.
However the bones disappeared in the Reformation under Henry VIII’s rule.
His heart has been a major pilgrimage site at Christ Church since the medieval period.
Thievery, what purpose does it serve? To feed a hungry child might be the only justifiable cause. Otherwise, it brings negative karma to the world and makes everyone just a little more suspicious of their fellow man!