Religion Fribourg's St. Nicholas is missing his crosier
St. Nicholas, patron saint and namesake of the cathedral in Freiburg, stands above the west portal of the church without his crosier.
Image: Keystone
The crosier is missing: statue of St. Nicholas above the west portal of the cathedral in Freiburg.
Image: Keystone
St. Nicholas, patron saint and namesake of the cathedral in Freiburg, stands above the west portal of the church without his crosier.
Image: Keystone
The crosier is missing: statue of St. Nicholas above the west portal of the cathedral in Freiburg.
Image: Keystone
Freiburg's St. Nicholas has lost his crosier: the city's patron saint has recently been enthroned above the main entrance to the cathedral without his staff, as local media reported on Monday.
09.12.2024, 16:27
09.12.2024, 16:33
SDA
This was noticed last Saturday during the traditional St. Nicholas procession. However, insiders have known about the loss for some time: The crozier was probably stolen more than two years ago.
The Cantonal Directorate of Education and Cultural Affairs was contacted by the building construction office in September 2022. The Sigrist and the canton have been in the picture since then. Other stolen items had reappeared. In the case of the staff, it was therefore decided to wait and see.
If the episcopal attribute does not reappear, St. Nicholas of Myra will be adorned with a new crozier when the portal is next cleaned - probably in spring or summer 2025.
The wooden statue has adorned the west portal of St. Nicholas Cathedral, which belongs to the canton of Fribourg, since 1767. It is unclear how the staff was stolen. The statue is not accessible without a ladder.
