The parish of Santa Margarita María de Alacoque, located in Madrid’s Latina district, suffered a robbery during the night of July 31 to August 1 that included the desecration of the church’s two tabernacles, according to Religión en Libertad.
The assailants gained access to the parish complex after violently forcing entry into the Caritas premises.
The gate was torn off and the door pried open, causing damage to the supporting wall.
Once inside, they forced several doors and cabinets, including those of the church and sacristy, and searched the various rooms.
The consecrated hosts had been removed
During the break-in, both tabernacles of the parish were opened: the one normally used for the eucharistic reserve and another that houses a relic of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque.
According to the published information, the parish priest had previously removed the consecrated hosts due to the suspension of regular worship during the month of August, so the Blessed Sacrament was not inside the tabernacle at the time of the incident.
The relic of the parish’s patron saint was later found on the floor of the church, while the interior of the church and sacristy appeared completely ransacked.
The perpetrators stole the money from the offering boxes, as well as tools and paint supplies recently used in improvement work on the facilities.
A parish dedicated to social outreach
The parish of Santa Margarita María de Alacoque carries out much of its activity through Caritas and organizes training courses aimed at facilitating the job placement of unemployed people.
It also hosts Madrid’s Coptic Orthodox community for the celebration of their religious services.
Following the break-in, the parish community continues to assess the damage and review the inventory to determine whether additional items were stolen.
So far, no information has been released regarding the identity of those responsible for the desecration and theft, while investigations are expected to clarify what happened.