French police have arrested an unnamed suspect accused of stealing and destroying bones attributed to St. Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop of Myra and historical inspiration for Santa Claus. The alleged theft occurred Oct. 28 at the Basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port in Lorraine, where the relic was kept in a protective case. Apparently, even a protective case was treated as an invitation rather than a barrier.
The parish priest filed a complaint Nov. 2 at the police station in Dombasle-sur-Meurthe, according to a translation of a report from the French outlet L’Est Républicain. Police immediately opened an investigation into the alleged theft. They identified the suspect and arrested him at his home. His name has not been publicly released.
The suspect purportedly told investigators that he spontaneously smashed the case containing the bones of St. Nicholas. He allegedly said he was driven by “fetishism” and acted out of a “desire to destroy,” according to the French Catholic outlet Catholix, as referenced by the Brussels Signal.
Authorities allege that the suspect then burned and crushed the remains. He appeared at the Judicial Court of Nancy and underwent a psychiatric evaluation. The evaluation determined that he was legally responsible for his actions, according to L’Est Républicain.
Catholix condemned the destruction, saying it “wipes out a piece of the religious history of Lorraine and of France,” according to the Brussels Signal. That is more than a broken display case. The relic was connected to centuries of religious tradition and to the history of the region. Treating such an object as disposable is not exactly a sign of respect for the past.
St. Nicholas served as the bishop of Myra during the fourth century. Britannica says he was imprisoned by Roman emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians, and later released under Constantine I. St. Nicholas became known for generosity, including providing marriage dowries for poor girls who otherwise might have been forced into prostitution. His reputation for generosity eventually helped make him the main inspiration for Santa Claus.
St. Nicholas was buried in Myra, but his remains were allegedly stolen in 1087 by Italian sailors and taken to Bari. In 1098, the knight Aubert de Varangéville brought a bone from St. Nicholas’ right hand to Lorraine, according to the Brussels Signal. Duke Rene II later declared St. Nicholas the patron saint of Lorraine and commissioned the basilica to house his remains after the Duchy of Lorraine’s victory in the Battle of Nancy in 1477.
The theft is not the only incident to affect the basilica. In February, the building was evacuated because of a fire that may have been set deliberately, according to the Brussels Signal. Now, the site has suffered another serious blow, this time involving the alleged theft and destruction of a relic tied to both Christian history and the origins of Santa Claus.
According to The Daily Caller, the arrest followed the parish complaint and the investigation into the basilica theft.
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