
Relic of Saint Mary Magdalene / Intermountain Catholic (Left), Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City (Right)
CV NEWS FEED // A beloved relic of Saint Mary Magdalene was stolen from the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the morning of July 10.
According to Intermountain Catholic, the theft was discovered around 7 a.m. on July 10 when a staff member found the broken reliquary on the floor beneath the crucifix.
A press release from the diocese of Salt Lake City emphasized the particularly devastating nature of the theft of this relic, beloved to Utah Catholics.
St. Mary Magdalene is the patron saint of the Catholic Church in Utah, and the diocese of Salt Lake City is the only diocese and cathedral under the patronage of St. Mary Magdalene.
The relic, brought to Salt Lake City in 1918 by Bishop Joseph S. Glass, has been housed in the reliquary for over a century. It is displayed annually on Easter Sunday and July 22nd, the Solemnity of St. Mary Magdalene, inviting the faithful to prayer as they honor the heroic life of this early follower of Jesus.
Very Reverend Father Martin Diaz, Rector of the Cathedral, stated that this distressing loss appears to be an act of theft rather than vandalism.
“This was a person looking for something of value to sell,” Fr. Diaz explained. “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.”
Fr. Diaz emphasized that all possible efforts will be made to recover this treasured relic for the people of Utah.
The Diocese of Salt Lake City is collaborating with the Salt Lake Police Department to recover the relic. The diocese has offered a description of the missing relic in the hopes that it will be identified and returned.
“The relic is contained in an oval shaped metal and glass container, placed on red velvet, measuring no more than 10″ in height,” the press release stated. “It is of no monetary value, but priceless for Catholics in Utah.”
A reward of $1,000 is being offered for its return or for information leading to its recovery, and the diocese urges any individual with information regarding its whereabouts to step forward, with the assurance that no questions will be asked.
“As the Catholic community prepares to celebrate the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene on July 22nd, it will do so with a keen sense of the loss of this small historic and physical connection to its patron,” the press release concluded.
