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Church on Mount Tabor in Israel Ransacked by Thieves
The sacred Basilica of the Transfiguration was vandalized this past Sunday.
Chloe Leonida
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A church in Northern Israel that is believed to be built upon a site of religious significance to Christians was ransacked earlier this week. Church officials reported a donation box to have been taken, chalices stolen, and icons damaged.
It is believed that the Basilica of the Transfiguration, located on Mount Tabor in Galilee, northern Israel, marks the site upon which Jesus transfigured in front of three of his apostles. Radiant, he proceeded to speak with Moses and Elijah, who appeared next to him on the mountain. The event is reported in the New Testament.
Wadie Abunassar, a spokesman for bishops in the Holy Land, did not confirm how many chalices had been stolen or how much money taken, but said that church officials believe the motive behind the event to be robbery, rather than an attack of a religious nature.
He went on to say that no graffiti markings were left on the church, further indicating that this was not an attack carried out by a group affiliated with any religious intent.
The site is regularly visited by tourists and pilgrims due to its significant nature. The Basilica shares the sacred land atop Mount Tabor with a Greek Orthodox monastery, also dedicated to the Transfiguration.
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