Raiders Of The Lost Urn: FBI Recovers Stolen 17th Century Italian Relic

BOSTON, MA — The FBI says it recovered a 17th-century reliquary urn that was stolen from an Italian church.

The Boston Division of the FBI released a statement that it was "proud to announce" taking possession of the relic that had been stolen from the Church of San Michele Arcangelo di Cangiano in Foggia.

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The urn, "carved and gilded in wood," is "believed to be one of 17 ecclesiastical artifacts stolen from the Church of San Michele Arcangelo di Cangiano" between August 2012 and August 2022, according to the release.

"The FBI has orchestrated its return to the Italian Republic where a formal repatriation ceremony was held" Wednesday, the release said.

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The FBI took possession of the "opulent" urn in February at the request of the Italian Ministry of Culture, according to the release, taking it "from an antiques dealer based in the Northeast who had purchased it from another antiques dealer in Italy."

"The dealer has voluntarily relinquished ownership of this historic artifact so it can be returned to its rightful home," the release said.

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“It’s incredibly exciting when the FBI can recover a piece of history that carries such deep emotional and cultural significance," Ted E. Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, said in the release.

"After all, this reliquary urn is a tangible link to intense religious devotion and a connection to the generations who lived and prayed with it," Docks said. "It represents the intersection of faith, history, and art — elements that are invaluable to the people of Italy and to humanity as a whole. This case highlights the power of international cooperation and our collective commitment to safeguard the world’s cultural treasures, no matter where they may be.”

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The FBI launched its investigation of the urn theft in 2025 "as a result of continued coordination and intelligence sharing between the FBI’s Art Crime Team, the FBI’s Law Enforcement Attaché in Rome, and its counterparts from the Italian Carabinieri," according to the release.

The FBI’s Art Crime Team, "composed of special agents and personnel uniquely trained in art and cultural property investigations throughout the Bureau," plans to "repatriate the urn to the Italian Republic during a ceremony in Rome," at a time to be determined, the release said.

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