A man is on trial in Germany for stealing the pectoral cross of Pope Benedict XV, Bild writes.

The man stole the cross from the city church in the Bavarian Traunstein in 2023 and surrendered to police in the Czech Republic because of fears for his safety. According to the man, he learned who the cross belonged to from newspapers.

Because of the relic's association with the pontiff, its value on the market can reach up to €50,000. Without it, it could be worth €800. The prices offered for the cross dealers; the thief was not satisfied - he was offered € 18.

Before the theft, the cross had been in the church since 2020. The pope gave it to the parish in 2020. To get to the relic, the thief broke into a display cabinet built into the wall of the town church of Traunstein.

In Traunstein, Benedict XVI attended the gymnasium and celebrated his first Mass.

Prior to this, the Vatican had given Charles III fragments of the True Cross for his coronation.