St. Mary Magdalene relic stolen from namesake Salt Lake City cathedral July 15, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: News, Saints, World News SALT LAKE CITY (OSV News) — A relic of St. Mary Magdalene was stolen from the Cathedral of the Madeleine on the morning of July 10. The theft was discovered about 7 a.m. when one of the cathedral staff found the broken reliquary on the floor beneath the crucifix. A relic of St. Mary Magdalene was stolen from the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City July 10, 2024. (OSV News photo/courtesy Intermountain Catholic) Editors: best quality available for now. According to Father Martin Diaz, rector of the cathedral, this appears to be an act of theft, not of vandalism. “This was a person looking for something of value to sell,” Father Diaz said, according to the Intermountain Catholic, newspaper of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. “It is likely that he picked up the reliquary, but once he got it off the shelf could not hold it, as it is very heavy. Once it was broken open, he took the one thing that appeared sellable.” The Diocese of Salt Lake City is working with the Salt Lake Police Department to recover the relic. A reward of $1,000 is being offered for the return of the relic, or for information leading to its return. According to a July 12 press release from the cathedral, which was posted on the diocese’s Facebook, the relic was brought to Salt Lake City in 1918 by Bishop Joseph S. Glass. It is annually displayed as an invitation to prayer on Easter Sunday and July 22, the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, a disciple of Jesus who witnessed his crucifixion and was the first one to announce the resurrection. “This is a very disturbing loss,” said Father Diaz, “and we want to make every effort to find and restore this treasure for the people in Utah.” The relic is contained in an oval shaped metal and glass container, placed on red velvet, measuring about 10 inches tall. “It is of no monetary value, but priceless for Catholics in Utah,” said the statement. “It is also important to acknowledge that Catholics do not worship relics: They serve as a physical reminder of the women and men who have lived generous and charitable lives on behalf of God and others,” Father Diaz said, according to the release. The Intermountain Catholic is the newspaper of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Shrine is a place of prayer, pilgrimage and ‘encounter’ with St. John Paul II’s life, legacy Who was Venerable Father Flanagan, Boys Town founder? ‘Venerable’ Boys Town founder Father Flanagan ‘a model of charity,’ says Omaha archbishop St. Francis’ relics returned to crypt after monthlong veneration draws 370,000 pilgrims Pope Leo XIV declares Boys Town founder Father Flanagan venerable Trump issues presidential messages for feast of St. Joseph, St. Patrick’s Day Copyright © 2024 OSV News Print
