A thief or thieves posing as pilgrims have stolen a relic of the brain of Saint John Bosco and Catholics around the world are praying for its safe return. According to police, a thief (or thieves) entered the Basilica of Saint John Bosco in Castelnuovo, near Turin, last Friday and stole a glass case containing the relic of the saint.
“I invite whoever took it to give it back immediately, without any conditions so we can close this painful page and continue to honor the memory of Don Bosco worthily in his birthplace,” said Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin.
St. John Bosco is venerated for having dedicated his life to helping poor, deprived children. Born in Castelnuovo in 1815, he founded the Salesian religious order. He died in 1888 and was canonized in 1934.
Archbishop Nosiglia said in a release the news was something “you never wanted to hear.”
“It makes you think of the profound moral misery of someone who would steal a ‘sign’ that’s been left and conserved for the devotion and the faith of all,” he said.
Police worry the thief may seek a ransom for the return of the saint’s brain and there has also been speculation in the Italian media that it may be used for a satanic ritual.
The Rev. Moreno Filipetto, a spokesman for the Salesians in northern Italy, told Vatican Radio: “You can take away a relic of Don Bosco, but you can’t take away Don Bosco from the church or the world.”
Police are continuing their investigation. Please pray for the return of this sacred relic!
This is very sad and heart breaking. I hope whoever took the relic finds peace in his heart to return it.
Amen ??
What use is a dead man’s body parts? There’s no biblical teaching of keeping a dead man’s body or body parts. The RC church’s teaching is not biblical and in fact it is satanic.
If you have a dear to your heart loved one, wouldn’t you want to keep something that belongs to him or her for memory and appropriation. Now, think of someone who devoted his life for the glory of God. Shouldn’t we honor this soul and body of him.
I guess the very first Christians were satanic, since the Church has been keeping relics since the very beginning. I recommend you research Church history before you make such ignorant comments.
Also, is not that Catholics use the brain for something. When embalming a corpse, the organs are removed and placed separately. End. If you steal a piece of a body, you are disrespecting the dead. So, before accusing the ONE TRUE CHURCH of being satanic, please ask yourself if you would treat the embalmed body of your mom or dad with such disdain. And then, please, read something about apologetics, hermeneutics, and history of Christendom, so you may if not convert, be less of an a..hole about a holy man, and less ignorant of our faith.
AMEN ??…
If you don’t believe in the Roman Catholic teachings then don’t use the Bible. The Roman Catholic Church made the Bible. Read history !!!
You have much to say but your brain is dead. Saint John Bosco’s brain is more functional even it is stolen and dead for less than 200 yrs now than yours. Hahahah
True
If you don’t believe in the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church then don’t use the Holy Bible.The Roman Catholic Church made the Bible. Read history.
Your brain is dead and useless compared to the brain of Saint John Bosco.
His brain is more alive than yours.
His brain is dead physically for lessthan 200 yrs but more functional and worthy a million times than yours. Shame on you.
Mouano ,
If you don’t believe in the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church then don’t use the Holy Bible.The Roman Catholic Church made the Bible. Read history.
Your brain is dead and useless compared to the brain of Saint John Bosco.
His brain is more alive than yours.
His brain is dead physically for lessthan 200 yrs but more functional and worthy a million times than yours. Shame on you.
AMEN ??
In the Old Testament (2 Kings 13:20-21), a dead man came back to life when his body touched the bones of Elisha. So since that time, Jews and Christians have venerated the remains of martyrs and saints. Many documented physical and spiritual healings have occurred by touching or venerating the remains or relics of God’s holy ones. The graces and blessings bestowed by their veneration is God’s way of showing us when a person was indeed holy or whose soul is now with Him in Heaven. In the case of many saints including St. John Bosco, God gives the wondrous grace of incorruptibility to all or a specific part of their human bodies. St. John Bosco has been dead for 129 years, yet his body is still perfectly intact as seen in the article’s recent photo. How else would they have been able to steal his unembalmed brain which has still not turned to ashes after a 129 years?
The Bible IS the word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit, but it is not an instruction manual for Christianity. In fact, St. Paul writes “…it is the Church [not the Scriptures] that is the pinnacle and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15) and the final arbiter on questions of the Christian faith (Matt. 18:17). He also said: “Hold fast to the traditions you have received from us, either BY WORD or by letter.” (2 Thess. 2:15) If you research the Church Fathers (those instructed by Jesus or the Apostles themselves), you’ll see that the veneration of relics is a verbal tradition passed down since the beginnings of the Church.
You shouldn’t speak on behalf of Jews. We do not venerate holy body parts of saints. We make pilgrimage to where our holy people once lived and died, but we do not venerate their body parts. This is special to Catholics; however, this is not a Jewish practice.
The apostles are Jews, as were most of the first Christians. Today there are many Jews that are Christians.
My apologies, Haven. Didn’t mean to speak on behalf of people of the Jewish faith today. But relics are not just body parts (which are considered “1st class” relics). They may also be objects owned or worn by the saint (2nd class relics) or simply touched to 2nd class relics (3rd class). Also, it is not just a Catholic practice as Orthodox Christians also practice the veneration of relics.
Are you saying RC is Roman Catholic and your statement seems to say that the Roman Catholic church is practising Satanism because we have holy relics? Before I let lose, i will wait to get an answer regarding the satanism comment. You obviously do not understand the use of relics by the Church. Sad
To MUono……Are you saying RC is Roman Catholic and your statement seems to say that the Roman Catholic church is practising Satanism because we have holy relics? Before I let lose, i will wait to get an answer regarding the satanism comment. You obviously do not understand the use of relics by the Church. Sad
All religion believe in their saints and they keep the things whichever possible ,I don’t thing u believe in all these things that’s why u r talking like this ,I thing u believe in Satan ,keep it up
What use is your ignorant comment?
A dead man’s body parts saved us all and opened the gates to Heaven. He did it willingly, and you’re welcome to partake of this gift. : )
Peace.
Jesus’s dead body didn’t save us. I don’t know about you, but I worship a living God who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Correct Matthew.,Jesus was Jewish and so were the apostles.Jesus body dead and alive saved us. His death and resurrection saved us.
Saint Anthony of Padua pray for the recovery of the relic. Amen
Amen
AMEN ??
St. John Bosco, pray for those who have taken your remains, that God will enlighten them and give them peace, and that they will return this treasure to the Church. Jesus, I Trust in You.
Praying for a safe return of this precious holy relic??????❤️❤️❤️ May God forgive those who have taken this relic and turn their hearts around so they return it to the church.
My heartfelt prayers that the relic will be returned as soon as possible …and my thoughts and prayers to the person or persons that stole it …that they will reflect upon themselves and return it …AMEN
But na wetin they go use am do nah
May CHRIST forgive them….For they know not what they are doing
This is sign of end time. Some people no longer value sacred things and I wonder where our world is going with this kind of life. May God have mercy on us. Oh Lord, it’s your saintly servant’s brain relic they have stolen and I am certain you know what to do. I trust you Lord.
[…] let’s see, there was the story about the thieves that stole either the entire brain or a relic of the brain (it’s not […]
let remember even the isralites preserve the remains of joseph