Thrift Store Find: Archbishop's Stolen Cross for $6

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

31 Jan 2007 01:50 PM

Chalk this one up to the Hall of Frugal Fame of thrift store shopping!

A savvy thrift store shopper in Mobile, Alabama went home with a real bargain. The shopper spotted a $6 find and took it home, not realizing that it was an archbishop's stolen pectoral cross. The pectoral cross is a large cross that is worn on a cord, around the neck of the bishop or archbishop during mass.

The cross, as well as other religious items, were stolen from Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb's unlocked parked car.

According to the Associate Press news service,

"Lipscomb's gold crosier shepherd's crook, four mitres, a gold antique chrism vessel, assorted religious papers and books, gold coins, a gold oil stock, a wool collar with gold pins, lappets, which are headgear adornments, and a pallium were stolen.

Lipscomb said he hopes the rest of the stolen goods are returned, especially since some of the items - specifically the mitres - are used during the upcoming season of Lent.

A mitre is the liturgical headdress of bishops and abbots of the Latin Rite. It is made of linen, gold or silk cloth and often is ornamented. The front and back are stiffened, and each part comes to a peak."

So, if you happen to be a thrift store shopper near Mobile, maybe you, too may be able to recover some of the church's items.

Once the thrift store shopper found out what the cross really was, it was returned to the archbishop, who was happy to get it back.

This story strikes me as really strange for a couple of reasons. Why would the thief steal these items from the church and then donate at least one of them to the thrift store? Is this a matter of a Robin Hood figure trying to make a point? A thief with a good heart? Or someone feeling just guilty enough to donate some of his or her cache? Maybe the thief ditched the cross, and a curb shopper decided to pick it up and donate it? What do you think happened here?

Well, whatever happened, this just proves that thrift store shopping is always a real treasure hunt!

Related Articles:

Save More at The Thrift Store (1)

Save More at The Thrift Store (2)

Creative Uses for Thrift Store Finds

The Hall of Frugal Fame

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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