They've found Jesus.
One week after it went missing from its manger at St. Pius X Catholic church in Deep Cove, the statue of baby Jesus is back with Mary and Joseph where it belongs.
Parishioners were dismayed to see the 24-inch fiberglass icon had disappeared when they showed up for New Year's Day mass.
It appears to have been abducted from the crèche scene in front of the church the night before.
"He allegedly was found along the road close to the parish by a group of youths who took him to a party on New Year's. Pictures were taken," said Cpl. Richard De Jong, North Vancouver RC MP spokesman. "A young person from the parish attended the party and it wasn't until a couple days later when the press made a big deal of it that she connected the two and said, 'Wait a minute. I know where Jesus is.'" The teen then went back to the home where the party was and retrieved the statue for the church.
Police aren't looking to lay any charges but Father John Horgan is pleased Jesus has been returned.
"We're very glad to have it back. We may have to use it inside next year, unfortunately, after this has happened but we're simply very grateful to have such a treasured image back in veneration," he said. "We're grateful for the one who returned it and we hope everyone else who was involved learns a lesson from this."
While it's a relief to have the Messiah back, it did suffer some damage during the party.
"It was mistreated and the left arm was broken off the statue and is missing. It's gone and we have to see if we can have that repaired in some way," he said.
For that, Horgan is appealing to North Shore artisans to contact the parish and offer their expertise.
The theft was hurtful, not just because of the disrespect shown to a symbol of their saviour but also because the statue is an antique connected to the history of the Catholic church in Vancouver, said parishioner Kevin Smith. For decades, it was part of the annual nativity display at St. Vincent's Hospital in Vancouver before Horgan brought the set with him when he took over at St. Pius X.
"That's obviously the best ending we were hoping for and certainly the ending we were praying for," Smith said.
