A Catholic parish in western Germany is grieving after sacred relics of St. Martin of Tours were stolen during an overnight break-in, marking the latest in a series of attacks against the historic church.
According to LifeSiteNews, burglars entered St. Martinus Catholic Church in Neuss-Holzheim, North Rhine-Westphalia, through a side entrance during the night leading into July 30. Once inside, the intruders reportedly broke a small pane of glass at the front of the altar and removed the relics of St. Martin, the church’s patron saint, which were kept behind it.
The thieves also took a missal from the church. However, according to LifeSiteNews, Volker Esser, vice chair of the parish council, said the liturgical book was recovered a short time later after it was found underneath a car several streets away.
The burglary is not the first time the parish has been targeted. According to the German newspaper Westdeutsche Zeitung, cited by LifeSiteNews, the church’s sacristy was broken into in January 2023, leaving behind extensive damage.
At the time, the newspaper reported, “Large holes had been smashed into some doors, wood splinters were scattered across the floor, and signs of forced entry were visible on other doors.” Numerous sacred objects were stolen during that earlier incident. Several months later, residents reportedly discovered a monstrance and multiple chalices abandoned on the roof of a garage under unexplained circumstances.
Authorities believe the suspects may have been injured during the most recent burglary after noticeable bloodstains were found on the altar, according to reports cited by LifeSiteNews.
Although the financial damage from the break-in appears to be limited, parish leaders say the spiritual loss is far greater.
“For us as a parish, it is unimaginable how anyone could break into a church. There seems to be a complete lack of respect for a house of God,” parish priest Father Andreas Süß told Westdeutsche Zeitung, according to LifeSiteNews.
Father Süß said the altar would be blessed following the incident and that the parish would quickly examine additional security measures to better protect the church and its sacred treasures.
The theft comes amid a broader pattern of attacks on Christian churches across Europe. According to the latest OIDAC Europe report, cited by LifeSiteNews, Germany recorded the highest number of documented arson attacks on church buildings in 2024, with 33 reported incidents. Church leaders across the continent continue to express concern over increasing acts of burglary, vandalism, and desecration directed at places of worship.
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