MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- A theft of a religious and controversial sculpture from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on the Upper West Side has upset many parishioners.
Father Patrick Malloy addressed the congregation on Sunday, filling them in on the theft of the sculpture of Christa.
The Cathedral said the theft happened last Sunday night after a craft show brought thousands of people to the venue.
During clean-up, the Cathedral said a man allegedly stole the sculpture of Christa.
Not long after, the man brought the sculpture back and dropped it off on the loading dock.
The sculpture of Christa, which depicts a woman in a crucified pose, was first displayed in the Cathedral in 1984 but was only left up for a few weeks before it was taken down.
A few years ago, it was donated permanently to the Episcopal Cathedral by artist Edwina Sandys.
Malloy and many parishioners we spoke to said historically, cultures have portrayed Jesus crucified in many forms, and this sculpture is valuable because it does just that.
The Cathedral and the parishioners' day are happy the sculpture that promotes important conversation is back where it belongs.
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