'Precious' items stolen from altar at Wellington church

Two North Island churches have been robbed of "precious" taonga over the last week. Clergy at St Peter's on Willis in Te Aro, Wellington, first noticed two "precious" icons, which sat on the church's high altar, were missing on Tuesday. They have no idea how the pieces disappeared. As a way of mourning their loss and violation of hospitality, the church plans to close its doors for a day if the icons aren't returned. One of the icons depicts a mother and son and is called Mother of Mercy and Compassion. It was created by the church's Reverend Jean Malcolm, who is an iconographer. The other is a copy of the Icon of Christ and Abbot Mena, a Coptic painting depicting Jesus with his arm around Abbot Saint Menas – its original hangs in the Louvre. Reverend Malcolm said that while the pieces didn't hold much monetary value, they were "precious to us" and are "part of the fabric of our building and therefore part of our community and part of our prayer life". "To have them taken, it leaves a big gap. It leaves a big hole, not just empty on the stands but in our hearts," she told 1News. The church is usually open to visitors during the day, priding itself on hospitality. It's believed the icons were taken by one of these visitors. Reverend Malcolm said she felt strange about losing the piece she created, like "a person who's written a piece of music and having it being played badly". "It being used for the wrong thing or something's happened to it that's kind of not what you would normally have." It's the second time in months the church feels its hospitality has been abused. In April, a lecturn shaped as a golden eagle was damaged. Reverend Stephen King said these were the first serious incidents the church had experienced in years. He believed it was "symptomatic" of the difficult social and economic situation the city was experiencing. "It seems as tough as it's ever been out there on the streets," he said. "We see that things are hard, and we know because we see more people in here looking for assistance." "There's a number of food distribution ministries that run out of St Peter's, and we know that the lines are longer and that there's more food being given out than even before." Despite the recent incidents, both Reverend Malcolm and Reverend King wanted to keep the church's doors open and not lock away their precious items. "We want to stay welcoming. We, we want that kind of attitude in the world," Reverend Malcolm said. If the items aren't returned, the church would close its doors – not as a punishment, but an "action of protest". "We feel that this has been an abuse of hospitality," Reverend King said. Reverend Malcolm said: "It's a mourning for the actual objects, and what they symbolise for us, but also it's a mourning for what is happening in our society." The church has not reported the missing icons to police and didn't plan to, hoping those who took them would return them. "We're not wanting to charge anybody for having taken them," Reverend Malcolm said. "Our hope is that it will provide a channel for a relationship with whoever took them and to help them understand how important these are to us." The clergy wanted forgiveness and restoration. "We're hoping that the spiritual value will be recognised and that we can have them back, and that might be an opportunity for some peace on both sides," Reverend Malcolm said. It's the second theft involving a North Island church in recent days, after a Northland church was robbed of its bronze bell. The bell was believed to have been stolen from the church on Parnell St in Rawene sometime between July 15 and 22. Far North Area Commander Inspector John Fagan said the bell had been housed in its own small shelter to the left of St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church's front entrance. "The church building itself was locked and secure at the time of the theft," Fagan said. "This is a substantial and distinctive item, measuring more than half a metre in height and diameter. "It’s likely the removal would have required considerable effort and the use of a vehicle." Fagan says the bell was discovered missing on 22 July when a church member attempted to ring it, only to find it had gone. "We are asking anyone currently in possession of the bell to please make arrangements for its safe return to the church," he said. "The congregation hopes this treasured community item can be returned without further damage or loss." Anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity around St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church between July 15 and 22 or had information on its whereabouts was asked to contact police.