French police have arrested a suspect who allegedly stole and burned the bones of St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, from a basilica in Lorraine on Oct. 28.
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who → arrest → Oct.
The parish priest filed a complaint Nov. 2 about the alleged theft at the police station in Dombasle-sur-Meurthe, according to a translation of an article published in the French outlet L’Est Républicain.
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priest → file → outlet
The police immediately opened an investigation into the incident.
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police → open → incident
The alleged theft occurred at the Basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department of Lorraine, according to the Brussels Signal.
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theft → occur → Signal
French police identified the suspect, who has not publicly been named, and arrested him at his home, L’Est Republicain reported.
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Republicain → identify → home
The suspect purportedly claimed he spontaneously smashed the protective case containing the bones of St. Nicholas.
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he → claim → Nicholas
In addition, the suspect allegedly said he was driven by “fetishism” and acted out of a “desire to destroy” the relic, according to the French Catholic outlet Catholix referenced by the Brussels Signal.
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he → say → Signal
The suspect allegedly burned and crushed the remains.
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suspect → burn → remains
He appeared in court at the Judicial Court of Nancy and underwent a psychiatric evaluation, which determined he was legally responsible for his actions, according to L’Est Républicain.
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he → appear → Républicain
ont été VOLÉS dans leur reliquaire, au sein de la basilique, puis DÉTRUITS.
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VOLÉS → été → basilique
Le suspect, interpellé à son domicile, a reconnu avoir BRISÉ la vitrine protégeant le reliquaire, avant d’en voler le contenu, de BRÛLER les ossements puis de les ÉCRASER par « désir de destruction ».
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suspect → interpellé → destruction
— L’Écho Chrétien (@lechochretien) November 7, 2026
French Catholic outlet Catholix reacted to the incident, saying the destruction of the relic “wipes out a piece of the religious history of Lorraine and of France,” according to the Brussels Signal.
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destruction → react → Signal
(RELATED: Defense Minister Calls Deadly Shooting ‘Act Of Terror’ After 6 Killed, 15 Injured In Allied Nation)
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15 → call → Nation
St. Nicholas was the bishop of Myra in the fourth century, according to Britannica.
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Nicholas → accord → Britannica
He was imprisoned by Roman emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians, and was released under the rule of Constantine I. St. Nicholas was known for his generosity, including giving marriage dowries to poor girls who would have otherwise been forced into prostitution.
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who → imprison → prostitution
Today, he is commonly known as the main inspiration for Santa Claus.
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he → know → Claus
While St. Nicholas was buried in Myra, his remains were allegedly stolen in 1087 by Italian sailors, who took them to Bari, according to Britannica.
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who → bury → Britannica
In 1098, knight Aubert de Varangéville brought a bone from St. Nicholas’ right hand to Lorraine, according to the Brussels Signal.
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Varangéville → bring → Signal
Duke Rene II declared St. Nicholas the patron saint of Lorraine and commissioned the basilica to house his remains following the Duchy of Lorraine’s victory in the Battle of Nancy in 1477.
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Nicholas → declare → 1477
The theft of the saint’s bones is not the only incident that has impacted the basilica.
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that → impact → basilica
In February, the basilica was evacuated because of a fire that may have been set deliberately, according to the Brussels Signal.
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that → evacuate → Signal
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