Europe 1 with AFP 1:44 p.m., December 29, 2022
The parish priest of the town of Ammerschwihr, in the Haut-Rhin, was the victim of a burglary on the evening of the celebration of Christmas mass on December 24.
Father Alain Riegert discovered the door of his presbytery smashed, deploring the facts to the local press, evoking a "trauma".
The thieves left with the proceeds of the quests.
An Alsatian village priest was robbed on Christmas night while celebrating midnight mass.
"I assume that the burglars knew that I was at the church. The times of the masses are displayed", explains Father Alain Riegert, parish priest of Ammerschwihr, near Colmar in the Haut-Rhin.
The priest had celebrated a first Christmas mass at 6 p.m. in his village of 1,700 inhabitants and was returning from midnight mass in a nearby town when he discovered the door of his presbytery smashed in, as reported by the local daily L'Alsace. .
"It's completely traumatic. Discovering this when we return to a celebratory disposition, with people delighted with the mass...", testifies the 59-year-old priest.
The thieves left with the proceeds of the last collections, but Father Riegert said he had no time to count the sums received.
"These are big Christmas quests," he remarks simply.
The burglary "was carefully prepared".
The gendarmes, who have opened an investigation, "have no leads yet", said Father Riegert.