St. Michael the Archangel Church recovers stolen tabernacle after overnight burglary

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Several weeks after two sacred items were stolen from a Catholic church in downtown Portland, one has been found.

The congregation at St. Michael the Archangel Church prayed for the return of their golden tabernacle and the holy item inside it after it was stolen overnight on May 28.

Father Ignacio Llorente previously told KOIN 6 News that on the night of the first break-in, he saw surveillance footage that someone had been camping on the stairs of the historic church.

“They climbed through the stairs to the bell tower, then broke into a bell tower, broke a window, enter, went down, then broke in our door. And then he entered the kind of office area,” Llorente said.

Llorente said that the person spent some time inside, then left, taking several things with him, including a set of keys. The next day, the man returned.

“He came back at 1 a.m. Wednesday and he came in twice. So he came 1 a.m., took a bike and a speaker from our house,” Llorente said. “Then broken again at 4 a.m. — he entered our chapel and took what in the Catholic faith is called the tabernacle.”

On June 15, the church received notice that a woman had the tabernacle and wanted to return it. However, police said the woman is not a suspect in the burglaries.

Llorente told KOIN 6 News the tabernacle looks expensive, but it’s wood painted gold. That said, many consider what’s inside — a blessed sacrament used for the Catholic religion — to be invaluable.

One item, a sacrament known as a monstrance, remains missing.

“The burglaries remain under investigation, and no one has been charged with the crimes,” officials said. “However, detectives believe the same suspect committed the burglaries.”

Anyone with information on the burglary is encouraged to contact police or the church directly at 503-228-8629.