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14TH - 20TH JANUARY 2020 - EDITION 821
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Crosses stolen from Torrevieja church Two pectoral crosses have been stolen from the church in Torrevieja. A pectoral cross or pectorale (from the Latin pectoralis, "of the chest") is a cross that is worn on the chest, usually suspended
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from the neck by a cord or chain. It is believed that a man entered the church in the early hours of Friday night, into Saturday morning and forced open the doors leading to the museum of La Purísima, Torrevieja’s patron, wherein lies her statue and crosses. The statue is of huge importance to the town and is carried through the streets in solemn procession during the town’s patronal fiestas every year. Officers are currently analyzing the footage from the church’s video
surveillance system. Meanwhile, the Asociación de Hijos de la Inmaculada has assured that the crosses have little or no economic value but are hugely sentimental and have appealed for their safe return. According to a statement by the Association, they are deeply saddened by the incident in which a man accessed the Arciprestal Temple in the early hours of Saturday morning, he reached the back door of the Museum of La Purisima, broke the lock and forced his way inside. He then forced open one of the exhibition’s display cases containing the two pectoral crosses. The Asociación de Hijos de la Inmaculada said “despite having no economic value, they do have enormous sentimental value for the people of Torrevieja." One of the crosses is worn by the statue of the virgin when she is on display in the church and the other, which is known as ‘The Peacock’ adorns the statue when she is being carried through the town on special religious occasions. The theft is currently being investigated by the Guardia Civil. Meawhile, the pastor of La Purísima, Manuel Martínez and the president of Asociación de Hijos de la Inmaculada Antonio Aniorte have appealed
specifically to “those establishments for the sale of antiques or second-hand items so that they are alert if someone tries to offer any of these pieces.” The pair have also asked that anyone with any information at all, please report it to the Guardia Civil in Torrevieja. Aniorte said, “this robbery must be seen as a robbery of the whole of the town of Torrevieja” and strongly urges the person who took the crosses, especially given they are of no monetary worth, to return then as soon as possible.
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