saint's heart stolen (not metaphorically, either)

[eppur_se_muova]

The preserved heart of Dublin's patron saint has been stolen from the city's Christ Church Cathedral, officials say.

The thief would have needed metal cutters to prise open the iron bars protecting the wooden heart-shaped box holding St Laurence O'Toole's heart.

Police believe it happened between some time between Friday night and about 12.30 GMT on Saturday.

"They specifically targeted this, they wanted the heart of St Laurence O'Toole," a church spokeswoman said.

"It's completely bizarre," she said, adding that valuable gold chalices and gold candlesticks were ignored by the thief.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17248394

[Adsos Letter]

1. Theft of relics by competing monasteries was actually a common occurrence during the Middle Ages.

There is a very interesting book out on the subject:

Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages. by Patrick Geary.