Preserved Heart Of Dublin Saint Laurence O’ Toole Stolen From Cathedral

Thieves have stolen the preserved heart of Dublin’s patron saint Laurence O’ Toole from the city’s cathedral.

Just one incident in the latest spate of holy relic raids to hit the Irish Republic, the 12th century heart was stolen from Saint Lauds Chapel within the cathedral.

Investigating gardai believe it was taken some time between last night and around 12.30pm this afternoon.

The saint’s preserved heart was kept in a wooden heart-shaped container sealed within a small iron barred box.

Born Lorcan Ua Tuathail in Castledermot, Co Kildare, in 1128, Laurence (Lorcan) O’Toole was appointed Archbishop of Dublin after the death of Archbishop Gregory in 1162.

The self-denying saint wore a scratchy hair shirt as a form of penance. St. Laurence refused to eat ‘luxurious’ meat and every Lent lived for forty days in St. Kevin’s cave, near Glendalough.

He died in November 1180 in Normandy, France and was canonised in 1225. The saint’s remains have continued to inspire worship after being made into a number of relics. His heart was preserved in Christ Church Cathedral since the 13th century, and his skull was brought to Britain in 1442. However his bones disappeared during the Reformation.

A Christ Church Cathedral spokeswoman said the thieves ignored valuable gold chalices and gold candlesticks in the chapel in favour of the financially worthless relic.

The heart is protected in the cathedral by an iron box

“It’s completely bizarre,” she said.