Thieves Break Into Catholic Church in Titlagarh, Odisha, Steal Tabernacle and Money

Titlagarh, Odisha, March 23, 2025— A robbery took place at the Holy Family Church in Titlagarh in Odisha during the stormy night of March 21, when thieves broke into the church and stole a valuable religious article and money.

Speaking to Catholic Connect, Father Joseph Antony, the parish priest, stated that the night was marked by heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, which caused a power outage. Taking advantage of the darkness, three young miscreants first targeted the CNI Church, located near the Holy Family Parish, where they stole a Casio keyboard and the money collection box.

Later, between 1:30 AM and 2:00 AM, the same group broke into the Holy Family Church. They forcibly opened the main door and stole the large tabernacle, a sacred item that holds the Holy Eucharist. The thieves also broke open the donation box placed in front of the statue of Mother Mary and took all the collected money.

Following the incident, church authorities filed a police complaint at the Titlagarh police station on March 22. A police team promptly visited the church and registered an FIR. "The police cooperated well with us and are investigating the matter," said Father Joseph Antony.

The parish, located about 390 km south of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, falls under the Sambalpur Diocese. In response to the desecration, Bishop Niranjan Sualsingh of Sambalpur made an appeal on March 22, urging all the faithful in his diocese to engage in penance and prayers as reparation for the stolen sacred tabernacle.

Bishop Sualsingh also visited the church at 12.30 pm on Sunday, March 23, to get a better idea of the ground situation.

The incident has left the local Christian community in shock, and authorities are working to identify and apprehend the culprits.

By Catholic Connect Reporter