900-year-old Heart of a Saint Vanished from Cathedral in Ireland

A 900-year-old heart which belongs to St. Laurence O’Toole, the patron saint of Dublin, was reportedly stolen from a cathedral located in Ireland.

900-year-old heart before and after 

Accordingly, the preserved heart of St. Laurence O’Toole which was kept inside a heart-shaped wooden box in a cage bolted to a wall, has been on display at the Christ Church Cathedral particularly inside St. Laud’s Chapel since the 12th century which makes it about 900-year-old today.

Irish police investigators said that the heart disappeared between the evening of March 2, 2012 and Saturday noon the next day. They were puzzled to know that there were no signs of a forced break in or damage and that the only thing missing is the 900-year-old heart itself.

Church spokeswoman Gardaí said that the thieves ignored other valuables in the chapel such as  gold chalices and candlesticks. “It’s completely bizarre. They didn’t touch anything else. They specifically targeted this…They wanted the heart of St. Laurence O’Toole,” she said.

Gardaí spent the day looking for the CCTV footage of people entering the cathedral. Accordingly, there were only about 40 visitors between 9.30am on March 2, 2012 and 12.30pm the next day March 3, 2012, when it was noticed missing.

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. The cathedral’s dean, Reverend Father Dermot Dunne, said that the heart has no economic value “but it is a priceless treasure that links our present foundation with its founding father.”

Laurence O’Toole, which later on became a saint, was Dublin’s archbishop from 1162 to 1180. He was canonized in 1225 by Pope Honorius III after a number of miracles.