Czech police say they have recovered the skull of Saint Zdislava of Lemberk, a 13th-century religious relic, days after it was stolen from a church in the north of the country. Police report that the suspect was arrested and, according to investigators, admitted taking the skull from a glass shrine in the Basilica of St Lawrence and St Zdislava in Jablonné v Podještědí on Tuesday.
Authorities say the skull was later found hidden inside a solid concrete block. Reports from multiple outlets describe police using special equipment to confirm the skull’s identity after the recovery. The saint is revered by believers, and the skull had been kept as a relic in the church.
Police also state the man said he had coated or encased the relic in concrete. The sources do not provide further detail about his motive beyond his stated objection to the skull being displayed. The recovery follows the initial theft and is presented as a resolution to the incident after the arrest.
