Not actual photo of stolen ciborium. However, this is what a ciborium looks like.
When the priest of the La Clery Catholic Church approached the tabernacle on Wednesday, the last thing he thought would go missing is the ciborium – a gold-plated cup used to store what Catholics refer to as ‘The Body of Christ.’
Now, access has been restricted to the place of worship, which is normally open to the public during the day.
Limited access will be only be during regular church services, held between 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily.
Priest Bonifacio Burlaza told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) today (June 4) that this is not the first time that such an incident has happened.
Father Burlaza said the ciborium was stolen before, but was later recovered by church members.
He said the incident is an unfortunate one, since the ciborium is used often to carry out communion. The catholic priest said that he was suspicious of a man in the church on Monday and requested that he left the building.
However, he believes the man may have returned and stole the ciborium, which is stored in the “sacred tabernacle.”
Priest Burlaza expressed concern that the bandit may return and steal other items. The priest said that the church had also encountered theft during its construction phase. Several construction materials were reportedly stolen and had to be replaced by the church.
A ciborium is a receptacle shaped like a cup with an arched cover, used in the Christian Church to hold a church ceremony. It is used to store the Eucharist waver, used during communion.
Father Burlaza told SNO that he is unaware what other purpose the ciborium could be used for. He expressed concern that it might be used for evil purposes.
He said bandits also stole his personal items, including a watch most recently. He said he has reported the matter to the police, but no feedback has been forthcoming.
The church mass will not be affected however, since Fr. Burlaza indicated there is more than one ciborium.
He would like the public’s assistance with locating the cup.