An ampoule with drops of blood of Pope John Paul II was stolen from the chapel of the Crucifixion of the Cathedral of the Italian city of Spoleto. This was announced on Thursday, September 24, by Agenzia Italia.
Archbishop Monsignor Renato Boccardo released a video message after the incident, in which he called the theft of the relic a serious act, hurting the feelings of piety of many people, and urged the kidnappers to return the relic.
“I want to hope that this action is superficial, and not with the intention of offending the sensitivity of believers, – said the archbishop, – I also want to hope that this reckless gesture was not made for profit.”
It is reported that after the discovery of the loss of the ampoule placed in the golden reliquary, the archbishop’s curia immediately summoned the carabinieri to the place.
Pope John Paul II or Pope Wojtyla was born in 1920 in Poland under the name Karol Wojtyla. He took the papal name in 1978 and was pontiff for over 26 years. He died in 2005 and after that he was canonized in 2014. In Italy, after his death, at least three relics with his blood remained. One of them was also stolen.