2,000 Year-Old Relic, Tabernacle Keys Stolen From Toronto Church

A religious artifact believed to be more than 2,000 years old was stolen from a Catholic church in the Toronto area in what the church is calling a “targeted attack.” 

Police confirmed that the incident happened at St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Forane Pilgrim Church in Scarborough in the early hours of Jan. 14. The church had recently been elevated to pilgrim status a month prior. 

A trustee of the church, Cino Joy Naduvilekoot, told The Epoch Times the sacred relic that was stolen had been recently imported from Italy, as well as the keys to the Tabernacle, where the Holy Eucharist is stored. 

The relic is known as the first-class relic of St. Thomas the Apostle, a bone fragment believed to have belonged to the apostle, which was brought to Canada from a basilica in Ortona, Italy.

“There is no cash value, but it is a most valuable thing for us as Catholic Christians,” Naduvilekoot said. 

Naduvilekoot said video footage shows one individual entering the church through the basement window who then proceeded to break into several rooms, remaining in the church for about three hours. A nun who had come to the church to prepare for mass discovered the items were missing. 

Fr. George Joseph of the Eparchy of Mississauga said the suspect appeared to specifically target religious and sacred items of little monetary value, which he said indicated a “hate-motivated crime.”

“The intruders also ransacked parish offices – including the pastor’s office, other offices of departments and associations in the church basement – causing extensive damage to doors, windows, office records, electronic equipment, and computers,” the Eparchy said in a statement. 

“The theft of Relics and Tabernacle key has caused profound concern within the faith community, as these items hold deep spiritual, historical, and religious significance far beyond material value.”

The Canadian Kerala Catholic Congress (CKCC) also condemned the incident in a social media statement shared by Conservative MP Jamil Jivani. 

Jivani said the suspect “should be brought to justice for this act of anti-Christian bigotry.”

Siju Mathew, national secretary for CKCC, said the incident was meant to instil fear and deter people from gathering, but said the religious community “will not be intimidated by those who wish to sever our spiritual roots or insult our sacred traditions.”