Stolen saint's relic was found and returned to a church within hours, and police arrest 2 men

[Ian David]

NEW YORK -- A stolen saint's relic was found and returned to a church within hours, and police arrested two men -- one of whom had long family ties to the church, police and a priest said.

Encased in an engraved sterling silver box, the relic was snatched off the altar at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Queens on Tuesday, according to police. The relic is a bit of bone believed to have been from the church's namesake saint.

"The relic is a treasure for our church," said the Rev. Apostolos Koufalakis.

Police recovered the box soon after the theft was reported Wednesday and arrested Georgiu Kostas, 37, and John Angelis, 61. Kostas was baptized at the church, and his parents were married there, his brother Soto Kostas said.

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Soto Kostas said his brother was struggling with a drug problem and had been pawning small items from a family apartment.

More:
http://www.wnbc.com/news/13593502/detail.html

[grytpype]

1. That's nothing, I have the skull of St. Paul as a young child.