Police in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki say they have arrested a Swiss national and a Greek Orthodox deacon for trafficking in what they said were holy relics, the Associated Press reports.
The Swiss man was arrested Sunday afternoon at Thessaloniki airport when he declared that he was carrying saints’ remains. Police seized 197 bone fragments and 3 skulls, sprayed with fragrance and carrying stickers labeling them with names of well-known saints. The deacon who had given the Swiss man the supposed relics was arrested early Monday.
“This is an unprecedented case. … We are investigating the provenance of these relics,” Nikos Dimitriadis, head of Thessaloniki police’s Financial Crimes division, said.
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