Irish police recover the skull of an 800-year-old crusader which was stolen during a burglary from a Dublin church after receiving a tip off
- Head of ‘The Crusader’ was removed from a crypt in St Michan’s Church, Dublin
- Gardai investigating the theft recovered the 800-year-old skull after a tip off
- Several mummies, including 400-year-old remains of a nun, also desecrated
- Officers from the Bridewell Garda Station recovered a second skull from the raid
Gardai have recovered the decapitated head of an 800-year-old mummy that was stolen from a church in Dublin.
The head of The Crusader was taken from a crypt in St Michan’s Church last month.
The crime was discovered when a guide went to open the church for visitors.
Gardai have recovered the skull of an 800-year-old crusader which was stolen from the crypt of a Dublin church last month. Officers received a tip off which will allow the skull to be returned to St Michan’s Church
Thieves stole the head of an 800-year-old crusader from a church in Dublin
The head of ‘The Crusader’ was removed from a crypt in St Michan’s Church (pictured)
The vault was badly damaged and several of the mummies, including the 400-year-old remains of a nun, had been desecrated.
The Crusader’s body was turned over and his head removed.
Officers from Bridewell garda station said they recovered the head of The Crusader on Tuesday and another skull that had been taken over the weekend of February 24.
A garda spokesman said: ‘The items were recovered as a result of information that came into the possession of the investigating gardai.
‘The National Museum of Ireland are acting in an advisory capacity.
‘An Garda Siochana would like to thank the public for their assistance in the investigation, which remains ongoing.’
The Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson had described his outrage at the incident last month.
‘I am shocked that someone would target this ancient burial place and desecrate the remains of those lying within it,’ he said.
‘Not only have these individuals desecrated the sacred crypt but they have destroyed these historic mummies which have been preserved in St Michan’s for hundreds of years.’
The Archbishop of Dublin, Michael Jackson, expressed sadness and outrage at the incident.
‘I am shocked that someone would target this ancient burial place and desecrate the remains of those lying within it,’ he said.
‘Not only have these individuals desecrated the sacred crypt but they have destroyed these historic mummies which have been preserved in St Michan’s for hundreds of years.
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The unnamed body is believed to be that of a man who fought in the Crusades – religious wars sanctioned by the Church in the medieval era.
Because of his impressive height, the Crusader’s legs were broken and folded to fit his remains inside a coffin in the St Michan’s crypt.
The church – founded in 1095 – is a popular tourist attraction in the Irish capital and the vaults receive about 28,000 visitors a year.
According to local lore, during a visit to the vault author Bram Stoker found inspiration for his gothic vampire horror ‘Dracula’.
A solid steel internal gate was taken during the raid and there are fears the remains will disintegrate in the open air since conditions in the crypt keep them preserved.
Archdeacon David Pierpoint said he has been left ‘upset and disappointed’ that the church has been targeted again after the crypt was vandalised in 1996.
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