Pope Benedict XVI's Pectoral Cross Stolen

A precious pectoral cross, gifted by the late Pope Benedict XVI to a parish in his hometown of Bavaria, has been stolen from the church where it was prominently displayed. The incident took place on Monday during daylight hours, when unidentified individuals broke open a display case mounted on the wall of St. Oswald's Church in the city of Traunstein.

Pope Benedict's pectoral cross, shown here, has been stolen.

Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
6/21/2023 (1 year ago)

Published in Europe

Keywords: Pope Benedict, Pectoral, Cross, stolen, church

Reportedly, along with the cross, the perpetrators also made off with cash from the register of a literature stand inside the church. The police have categorized the cross's value to the Catholic Church as "incalculable." They are urging anyone who witnessed suspicious activity near St. Oswald's on Monday or possesses any relevant information to come forward. The investigation into the theft is being led by the Traunstein district attorney's office.

Following his retirement in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI had bequeathed the pectoral cross to St. Oswald's Church in Traunstein, located in the Bavarian region. The cross, symbolizing his spiritual authority, held great significance to the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, on June 19, 2023, it was stolen from the church, leaving a void in its historical and religious legacy.

Joseph Ratzinger, now known as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, was born in the Bavarian community of Marktl am Inn and moved with his family to Traunstein at the age of two. It was in this very city that he attended seminary and celebrated his first Mass as a newly ordained priest at St. Oswald's in 1951. Following a renovation in 2020, the cross had been placed in the now-vandalized display case.

Coincidentally, the Traunstein Regional Court was scheduled to hear a case on Tuesday brought by an individual suing the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, as well as Benedict's heirs, seeking damages. The plaintiff alleges being subjected to sexual abuse by Father Peter Hullermann during the period when the future pope served as the archbishop of Munich.

In February 2022, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI personally expressed his remorse and sought forgiveness from abuse survivors in a letter responding to a report that criticized his handling of abuse cases during his tenure.