# Reliquary housing bone fragments of Saint Nicholas stolen from French basilica, destroyed · Mercy Herald

> The suspect confessed to police that he broke the display case, burned, and crushed the historical relic in a Lorraine basilica.

Endereço: https://joinmercy.com/journal/en/reliquary-housing-bone-fragments-of-saint-nicholas-stolen-from-french-basilica
Atualizado em: 2026-11-13

[Photo: The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com](https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-914431)

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A reliquary containing bone fragments attributed to Saint Nicholas was stolen and destroyed in late October at a basilica in the Lorraine region of France. The Saint Nicholas Parish confirmed the incident in a statement shared on social media after the matter was first reported by the French outlet L’Est Républicain. While the theft took place on October 28, the discovery of the crime and the subsequent police report occurred on November 2.

Police identified and arrested the perpetrator, who confessed in custody to breaking the display case, burning the fragment, and crushing its remains. According to L’Est Républicain, the suspect told authorities he acted impulsively out of what he claimed to be a form of fetishism. A psychiatric evaluation submitted to a French court concluded that he was legally responsible for the crime.

Christmas party 1820 with Santa Claus. (credit: Imagno/Getty Images)

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