The pectoral cross that former Pope Benedict XVI used to wear on his chest has been reported as stolen from a church in southern Germany where it was on public display.
The cross, which held great significance for the Catholic Church, was kept in a case within the wall of St. Oswald’s church in Traunstein, Bavaria, where Benedict spent his youth.
The theft occurred between 11:45 am and 5:00 pm on Monday, as the culprits broke into the church and took the cross that the former pope had bequeathed to the parish. In addition to the cross, the thieves also vandalized a magazine stand and stole money from its cash register.
The identities of the perpetrators are unknown, and the police are seeking witnesses who may have observed suspicious activity around the church on that day.
Benedict, who made history in 2013 by becoming the first pope in six centuries to resign from the papacy, passed away in December at the age of 95, following a period of declining health.
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