Italy: Crucifix Severely Damaged, Police Pay for Restoration

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Italy: Crucifix Severely Damaged, Police Pay for Restoration

gloria.tv | April 12, 2025

In February, a man stole a crucifix from a church on Via delle Orfanelle in Alessandria, northern Italy.

He brandished it like a weapon, swearing and spitting on it, and damaged cars along Corso Virginia Marini with it.

The perpetrator was arrested by the Carabinieri after threatening to kill them, and hitting them violently to avoid being searched by them.

The police found the crucifix badly damaged, both the wooden part of the cross and the lead part representing the body of Christ.

The perpetrator was arrested on suspicion of causing serious damage to vehicles, resisting an officer, handling stolen cultural goods, carrying offensive objects and insulting religious beliefs.

He is also accused of having threatened a minor in front of a nearby school in via Morbelli, brandishing the crucifix.

When the Carabinieri saw the crucifix on the ground in such a state, they were deeply saddened and without hesitation decided to pay for it to be repaired by a professional.

On 9 April the Crucifix was returned to the Diocese of Alessandria.

The Provincial Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Palatini, said that "the man who stole the crucifix and used it to damage cars, threaten people and, with contempt, curse and slander it, reducing it to pieces, has wounded and insulted the community and us".

There was no information about the perpetrator [...].