A priceless set of medieval
relics stolen from a seminary on the outskirts of Siena in 1989
has been recovered, Italian art cops said Thursday.
The San Galgano Reliquary was made in 1200 out of gold, silver
and enamel.
It was stolen along with another 10 works of sacred art of an
inestimable value.
All the works, property of the dioceses of Siena, Colle di Val
d'Elsa, and Montalcino, have now been recovered by Italy's crack
Carabinieri cultural heritage protection unit, the NTPC.
The recovery will be presented at a press conference Monday with
the archbishop of Siena, Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice,
Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, NTPC Commander, General
Roberto Ricciardi, Vatican Museums Director Barbara Jatta, and
Gianluigi Marmora, head of the NTPC's Palermo division.
The theft of the relics and other items, in July 1989, was
carried out on commission, sources said at the time.
Saint Galgano (1148 - 3 December 1181) was a Catholic saint from
Tuscany born in Chiusdino, in the modern province of Siena.
photo: Franceschini
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