Musings From Abroad

Swedish 17th century funeral regalia stolen

Thieves have stolen priceless royal artifacts said to be 17th century funeral regalia of a late king and queen. The police said that it happened during a daring raid on a Swedish cathedral before escaping by speedboat

Published

6 years ago

August 2, 2018

Africa News Watch

The thieves made off with jewels belonging to former Swedish monarchs Karl IX and Kristina from the Strängnäs Cathedral to the west of the capital, Stockholm, on Tuesday.

Two crowns and a golden orb adorned with a crucifix were taken from the cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, according to a police report. The items date from the early 17th century.

A witness told Swedish media that he was eating lunch when he saw two people running toward a boat, which they sped away in.

Police said several thieves were involved in the heist. They fled in an open-topped motorboat across the sea from the base of the church. Several police patrol boats as well as police helicopters joined a hunt for the perpetrators.

The cathedral was placed on lockdown, CNN affiliate Expressen reported, and the search for the thieves continued on Wednesday.

The three items stolen were part of the funeral regalia of the king and queen, and would have been buried with the monarchs, Christofer Lundgren, dean of the Strängnäs parish, told Expressen.

He said that while the items have monetary value, it pales in comparison to their significance to Sweden’s cultural history.

“From our point of view, the material value is less important than the cultural history of these items. I do not see this as a theft from Strängnäs cathedral assembly. This is part of the national cultural heritage, this is a theft of Swedish society,” Lundgren said.

Related Topics:Christofer Lundgren dean of the Strängnäs parish Karl IX Kristina Swedish 17th century funeral regalia Swedish cathedral

Click to comment

Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

3 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

3 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.