The skull of St. Zdislava was successfully removed from the concrete; it remains intact

Experts have successfully removed the skull of St. Zdislava from concrete. The precious relic remains intact and will now undergo restoration work. Police announced the news this morning on X. According to investigators, the skull was stolen on Tuesday from the basilica in Jablonné v Podještědí in the Liberec region by a thirty-five-year-old man, who was detained on Thursday. The man had encased the relic — of incalculable historical value — in concrete with the intention of burying it. On Saturday, a court in Česká Lípa decided not to place the man in custody; he will be prosecuted while remaining at liberty.

Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl, who is also the administrator of the Litoměřice Diocese, to which the basilica in Jablonné v Podještědí belongs, told journalists on Friday that if the skull of St. Zdislava is displayed again, it should only be exhibited behind bulletproof glass and protected by an electronic security system connected directly to the police.