Priest Gonzalo Marn Garca of the Colombian Church in Bogotá says a ciborium containing the Eucharist was stolen on September 6

Father Gonzalo Marn Garca, priest of the cathedral in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, said in a statement issued September 6 that a ciborium containing the Eucharist used for daily Mass had been stolen.

Marn said the Archdiocese of Bogotá wanted to alert the general public that a small ciborium containing the Eucharist reserved for daily use had been stolen in recent days.

The priest clarified that the liturgical vase is “about 15 centimeters high” (about 6 inches) and was “made recently”, so “it was not part of the artistic, religious and heritage collection kept in the cathedral”.

Marn said a complaint had been filed with authorities to launch a “corresponding investigation”.

Elmer Rojas, a Bogotá city councilor, commented on Twitter that this “worrying theft is in addition to two Christian churches in Kennedy (a neighborhood of the city) in recent days. The insecurity in the city affects everyone and (the district administration) doesn’t seem to care.

Since the city was founded on August 6, 1538, the colossal Cathedral of Colombia has been a witness to the events that unfolded in the nation, as well as an epicenter of religion and a benchmark for culture and art.

Over its 200-year history, the current cathedral has hosted figures such as Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Francis.

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